A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to kill Japan’s then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with a pipe bomb during a campaign event in 2023. The attack, which involved a homemade explosive device, occurred in western Japan. The assailant, Ryuji Kimura, now 25, was arrested at the scene, and Kishida was unharmed.
This incident took place less than a year after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022, also during a campaign event.
A spokeswoman for the Wakayama District Court confirmed the 10-year prison sentence. Judge Keiko Fukushima stated, according to NHK, that the anxiety caused to society by targeting the sitting prime minister was significant. She emphasized that a severe punishment was necessary to deter copycat attacks and underscored the disruption of Japan’s electoral system, which is vital to democracy.
Kimura was convicted of attempted murder. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence, while Kimura’s defense team argued for three years, claiming he did not intend to kill Kishida. Kimura denied his intent to kill, stating his goal was to gain public attention. However, prosecutors described the attack as a “malicious terror act” and argued that Kimura knew the explosive could be lethal.
After the attack, police found suspected gunpowder, pipe-like objects, and tools at Kimura’s home. Kimura had previously filed a lawsuit challenging the minimum age requirement for political candidates and the need for at least three million yen ($19,700) to run for national office. Under Japanese law, candidates for the upper house must be 30 or older, while those running for the lower house must be at least 25.
