A man has received a 10-year prison sentence following his conviction for the attempted murder of Japan‘s former prime minister, Fumio Kishida, in 2023.
Ryuji Kimura, 25, launched a pipe bomb at Prime Minister Kishida as he made his way towards a gathering for a speech during an election event in Wakayama.
Kishida emerged unscathed following the explosion of a homemade device, which resulted in minor injuries to a police officer and a civilian.
The recent attack has sent shockwaves through Japan, occurring less than a year after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during an outdoor election campaign event.
Kimura, sentenced on Wednesday, asserted during questioning that his aim was not to take Kishida’s life but rather to protest against the nation’s election age regulation that barred him from entering the political arena.
In Japan, individuals must be at least 25 years old to serve in the House of Representatives, while the age requirement for the House of Councillors is 30.
Kimura elaborated that he detonated the bomb to draw attention to a civil lawsuit he initiated in 2022, in which he argued that the age restriction was unconstitutional; however, the case was dismissed.
In a recent court proceeding, Kimura’s defence contended that he should not be charged with attempted murder, asserting that he did not anticipate the bomb would inflict harm. They further argued that a three-year prison sentence would be appropriate, considering the injuries’ severity.
The court emphasised that the explosives possessed sufficient power to inflict fatal harm.
In delivering the ruling, presiding judge Keiko Fukushima emphasised that “targeting a serving prime minister caused significant anxiety to society as a whole.
Alongside the attempted murder charge, Kimura faced convictions for breaching explosives regulations and firearms control laws.
The 10-year sentence handed down is notably five years shorter than the term sought by prosecutors.
In Japan, violent attacks are notably infrequent; however, concerns regarding the security of politicians have escalated significantly following the assassination of Abe in 2022.
The attempted attack on Kishida, occurring less than a year later, has sparked enquiries regarding the adequacy of security measures surrounding the nation’s leader during that period.
