A man was arrested after an object was thrown near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as he was about to give a speech in Wakayama, Japan, on April 15, 2023. (Photo: Reuters)

Kishida immediately left by car after the incident, which took place as he was talking with a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party just before his scheduled speech at a fishing port in the city of Wakayama. According to investigative sources, Ryuji Kimura, a 24-year-old man from Hyogo Prefecture, was arrested at the scene, Kyodo news said.

The incident came months after a man was indicted on charges of assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo while he was campaigning for the LDP last year.