Tokyo, Japan – Ryuji Kimura, a 24-year-old man from Hyogo Prefecture, has been indicted for attempted murder of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Kyodo News reported today. Prosecutors have concluded that Kimura is mentally fit to be held criminally responsible for his actions.
The attack took place on April 15, 2023, during an election event in Wakayama Prefecture. Kimura, who was among the attendees, allegedly hurled a homemade pipe bomb at Kishida, who was approximately 10 meters away. Fortunately, Kishida was unharmed, but two individuals, including a police officer, sustained minor injuries when the device exploded about 50 seconds later.
Kimura now faces serious charges, including attempted murder, as investigative authorities have determined that the homemade pipe bomb used in the attack was indeed lethal. This indictment follows a three-month psychiatric evaluation by prosecutors, which concluded on Friday.
Court documents reveal that Kimura may have harbored a grudge against Prime Minister Kishida stemming from his inability to file for candidacy in a House of Councillors election held last year. He had filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the election requirements violated the Constitution’s guarantee of equality under the law. Kimura’s lawsuit also criticized Prime Minister Kishida’s Cabinet for organizing a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe without parliamentary deliberations, describing it as a “challenge to democracy.”
The indictment of Ryuji Kimura is a major development in a case that has shaken Japan to its core. Less than a year after the shocking assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan is once again grappling with the ramifications of a brazen attack on its political leadership.
Kimura’s case is expected to draw significant attention and raise questions about political security in Japan. The trial is anticipated to shed more light on the motivations behind this attempted assassination and the implications it holds for the nation’s political landscape.
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