Japan: Man arrested after attack on ruling party headquarters

A man was arrested on Saturday in Tokyo after throwing several suspected molotov cocktails at the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), eight days before the legislative elections, Japanese media announced.

According to public television NHK, one of the incendiary devices hit a riot police vehicle, but the fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured. Contacted by AFP, the police were initially unable to confirm this information.

The individual, apparently aged around forty, also tried to drive his car into the grounds of the Prime Minister’s offices, but was blocked by a barrier and was immediately arrested, according to NHK.

Plastic bottles

The incident occurred shortly before 6:00 a.m. (11:00 p.m. in Switzerland on Friday). According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and other media, several plastic canisters were found in the suspect’s car.

Shortly after becoming prime minister following his victory in the LDP’s internal election, Shigeru Ishiba called early elections for October 27.

Violent crime is very rare in Japan. But the country remains marked by the assassination in 2022 of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, killed in the street during a campaign rally by an individual armed with a homemade pistol.

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