Attack on the Prime Minister in Japan: the suspect was on trial with the government

The young man suspected of having targeted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday with an improvised explosive device was on trial with the Japanese government, AFP learned on Tuesday, and the dispute concerned an electoral rule, according to local media.

Mr. Kishida was not injured in the incident, which occurred while he was traveling to a small fishing port in Wakayama Prefecture (Western Japan). Two other people were slightly injured.

Japanese media has revealed that Ryuji Kimura, the suspect arrested immediately after the incident, filed a complaint against the government in June 2022 because he considered unconstitutional a rule prohibiting people under the age of 30 like him from presenting themselves. in elections to the Upper House of Parliament.

Without confirming the subject of the dispute, spokespersons for the Kobe court and the Osaka (western) High Court told AFP on Tuesday that Mr. Kimura had indeed filed a complaint against the government and that he had lost his case at first instance. The Osaka High Court was due to hear his appeal next month.

The 24-year-old Mr. Kimura claimed 100,000 yen (680 euros) in damages from the government for the “mental suffering” that the impossibility of standing for senatorial elections last summer would have caused him, according to him, of after media.

He was also unable to pay the three million yen (more than 20,000 euros) that all candidates must pay to participate in these elections, according to the daily Yomiuri.

The suspect in the attack on Mr Kishida has reportedly so far refused to speak to investigators.

This new incident occurred just nine months after the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during an election rally, which forced the Japanese archipelago to review its security arrangements.

Shinzo Abe’s alleged murderer, Tetsuya Yamagami, accused the former head of government of having close ties to the Unification Church, dubbed “Moon Sect”, which allegedly led Mr Yamagami’s family to ruin .

According to local media, Mr. Kimura would also have criticized Mr. Abe’s alleged links with this religious organization, and would have denounced the state funeral granted to him last September by the government.

04/18/2023 11:13:49 –         Tokyo (AFP) –         © 2023 AFP