A year after an explosive device was thrown at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during an election campaign event in Wakayama Prefecture, the National Police Agency is intensifying surveillance of potential lone offenders operating independently of any organization and urging politicians to meticulously inspect the baggage of those watching politicians speak.
The attack on Kishida unfolded as the police were reassessing their dignitary protection measures following the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022.
"We cannot afford any lapses in security in the upcoming elections,” a senior official from the agency said. “The true mettle of the police force is under scrutiny."