Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Bombing Attempt on Former PM Kishida

Ryuji Kimura's attempt to assassinate former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reveals deep-seated issues regarding political participation age regulations in Japan.

 

In a shocking incident that rattled Japan, Ryuji Kimura, a 25-year-old man, was sentenced to ten years in prison for attempting to murder former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a public election event in Wakayama in 2023. Kimura threw a pipe bomb at Kishida as he approached a crowd, although the former leader escaped unharmed. The explosion resulted in minor injuries to a police officer and a bystander, emphasizing the potential danger of the homemade device.

Kimura's motivations were complex; during police questioning, he stated that his aim was not to kill Kishida, but rather to protest Japan's election age regulations. He argued that these rules barred him from entering politics, as individuals must be at least 25 years old to become members of the House of Representatives and 30 for the House of Councillors. To bring awareness to his cause, Kimura had filed a civil lawsuit in 2022 claiming the age restriction was unconstitutional, but it was dismissed.

Despite his defense team’s argument that Kimura did not anticipate causing injuries and advocated for a lighter three-year sentence, the court highlighted the bomb's significant destructive potential. When imposing the sentence, Judge Keiko Fukushima remarked that targeting a serving prime minister created widespread anxiety in society. Alongside the attempted murder charge, Kimura was also convicted of violating regulations concerning explosives and firearms.

This incident has provoked discussions about the safety measures surrounding political leaders in Japan, especially following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. The attack on Kishida, occurring less than a year later, has fueled concerns over the adequacy of existing security measures at political events.