The Sankei Shimbun 
Ryuji Kimura, the suspect in the incident of an explosive device thrown near Prime Minister Kishida, is tackled by fishermen and security guards at the campaign venue. (©Kyodo)
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In April 2023, former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was about to deliver a speech at a fishing port in Wakayama City. Just before he took the stage, 25-year-old Ryuji Kimura suddenly hurled an explosive device into the venue.
On February 19, 2025, the Wakayama District Court held the sentencing trial for the unemployed defendant, charging him with attempted murder and other offenses. While the prosecution had sought 15 years, the presiding Judge, Keiko Fukushima, sentenced Kimura to 10 years in prison. Judge Fukushima stated, "This was an extremely dangerous act, targeting a sitting prime minister, with significant social impact."
Intent to Kill
Whether the defendant had the intent to kill was the key issue. Kimura's defense argued that a three-year sentence for assault was appropriate, disputing the presence of murderous intent. The court examined whether the defendant recognized the risk of causing fatalities, given the power of his homemade explosive device. Judge Fukushima ruled that the defendant had the "implicit intent to kill."
In its arguments, the prosecution pointed out that fragments from the explosion traveled at speeds comparable to bullets. Investigators found several shards from the explosive embedded in a container 60 meters away.
Prosecutors highlighted that the defendant threw the explosive while Kishida had his back turned in front of an audience of over 150 people. They condemned the act as a "malicious terrorist attack targeting a sitting prime minister and indiscriminately endangering those nearby."
Defense lawyers countered that the explosive device's lethality was limited. They asserted that "fragments could be fatal only if they struck someone directly within a 2–3 meter range." Furthermore, they also claimed that the defendant had deliberately adjusted the fuse length to delay the explosion by about one minute. This, they argued, would have allowed people time to escape. Therefore, they argued that Kimura did not intend to injure or kill.
Raising Awareness or Causing Harm?
In court, the defendant stated that his motive was to raise concerns about Japan's current electoral system. "I thought creating a commotion near a public figure would attract attention," he explained. He denied intending harm but acknowledged the injuries he caused attendees, saying, "I regret that people were hurt as a result, and I apologize."
According to the prosecution, Kimura's device injured two people, including a police officer and a member of the audience. Additionally, from November 2022 onward, he had allegedly manufactured black powder and two explosive devices at his home in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture.
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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