A Japanese court in the western part of the country was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Wednesday after committing the crime of attempting to kill the prime minister with a homemade bomb two years ago.
A Wayama city court held that 25-year-old Kimura (25-year-old) was guilty of four counts related to attempted murder and possession of an explosive. The court told the court that Kimura was trying to kill then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida when he threw the device inside the hall in April 2023.
Kishida was trying to speak to political supporters when the attack occurred. Prosecutors had sought an attacker for 15 years in prison. The attacker said the court acted out of a desire to attract public attention. Kimura denied the accusation of attempted murder and said he had no intention of killing him.
The attack shocked Japan not only because such violence was rare in the country, but also because it occurred less than a year after the assassination of the previous prime minister. In July 2022, Abe Shinzo was shot on a street in Nara near Wayama by a disgruntled man who created his own weapon.
Abe's security details were later negligent as the former prime minister who was giving a campaign speech, the gunman could get off two shots. The second shot hit Abe in his chest, and it turns out to be fatal.
In an attack on kishida, the Prime Minister's security details rushed him to safety before the bomb collapsed. The small explosion from a device that looks like a pipe filled with gunpowder has injured two people in the hall of Wayama, a port city south of Osaka.
After he threw the device, Kimura was wrestled to the ground by security details and by members of the audience who were supporters of Kishida's party. When police searched Kimura's backpack, they found gunpowder and knife as well as a second handmade explosive.
Subsequent searches for Mr. Kimura's home found an additional pound of gunpowder and pipes.
In its ruling, the court said that Kimura, who was unemployed, tried to kill the prime minister because of his desire to attract the attention of the people. He said he planned an attack after posts about politics on social media didn't get much response.
The court said the bomb experts determined that if the improvised device exploded near him, it was strong enough to kill Mr. Kishida.
