A Japanese police officer was found shot and bleeding inside a toilet near the prime minister’s official residence on Friday early morning. The 25-year-old officer of the Metropolitan Police Department was soon taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Local media reported that police are investigating a potential suicide. The officer was on duty at the West Gate guard station at the time of his death.
PM Fumio Kishida was not at the residence
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was not at his residence when the incident happened. Kishida is travelling to Singapore, after his four-country Africa trip. Kishida will depart Singapore later on Friday.
Watch: Japan: Smoke bomb thrown at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Japanese authorities on high alert
Japanese authorities are on high alert after an attack on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Last month, during a campaign speech at a fishing port in western Japan, a man threw a “suspicious explosive device” at the prime minister. Fortunately, Kishida was not injured, but the incident has alarmed observers, as the suspect was able to get so close to him with what appeared to be a homemade weapon.
Attack on Kishida as captured by TV
The television broadcast captured Kishida positioned with his back facing the gathering. Suddenly, his security personnel signalled towards the ground next to him, which caused the prime minister to whirl around with a look of alarm.
The camera quickly shifted to the crowd, where multiple individuals, including uniformed and plainclothes police officers, quickly surrounded a young man wearing a white surgical mask and holding what appeared to be a long silver tube.
A loud explosion was soon heard from the spot where Kishida had just been. The audience panicked and scattered, while the police forcibly dragged the individual away.
The attack occurred less than a year after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was shot dead last July during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. His death was a shock to the nation, and the incident raised concerns about the safety of Japanese politicians.
In response to the recent attack on Kishida, Japanese authorities have increased security measures. The prime minister has been provided with additional protection, and police have been placed on high alert at all political events.
