A man who threw an explosive device close to former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio was given a 10-year prison sentence by a court in the western Japanese prefecture of Wakayama.
The defendant caused public anxiety, the court ruled, by targeting an incumbent prime minister.

Kimura Ryuji was charged with throwing the explosive and hurting two people. In April 2023, while campaigning for a candidate in a Lower House by-election, the former prime minister was in Wakayama City, visiting a port. Kishida was swiftly removed from the scene without suffering any injuries.

At the Wakayama District Court, 25-year-old Kimura was on trial for five charges, including attempted murder and violations of the Explosives Control Act.

One of the main points of contention was whether the defendant intended to kill.

Presiding Judge Fukushima Keiko stated in her decision on Wednesday that expert testing had determined the explosive to be deadly. Knowing that the then-prime minister might die, she claimed Kimura threw the explosive and found him guilty of attempted murder.

The presiding judge added that because the incident targeted an incumbent prime minister and created anxiety, it had a significant social impact. She pointed out that Kimura had sued the government over the election system in Japan. Despite writing about it on social media, he did not get much response. Kimura claimed that the crime was planned and that she had targeted a well-known person for publicity.

The presiding judge continued by saying that in order to deter future crimes, the defendant must receive a harsh punishment. She said it cannot be overlooked that Kimura significantly impeded the electoral system, which is the foundation of democracy.