Suspect in attack on Japan PM had sued Japanese govt over election: Yomiuri

TOKYO - The suspect who threw a smoke bomb towards Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had a record of seeking damages from the government. He had also claimed he was unfairly barred from running for the Upper House election, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Tuesday (April 18).

Ryuji Kimura filed the lawsuit in the Kobe district court last June, claiming he could not run for the election held on July 10, 2022 due to his age and inability to prepare a 3 million yen (S$30,000) deposit, the report said, citing the case record.

According to the record, Kimura claimed the election law violates the Constitution, which stipulates equality under the law among other provisions.

The court dismissed the claim, in which the 24-year-old suspect sought 100,000 yen damages for the mental anguish he had suffered, said the Yomiuri report.

Kimura appealed to the Osaka High Court against this ruling and a decision was scheduled for May 2023, it said.

The Japanese authorities searched Kimura’s home on Sunday, in Kawanishi city in Hyogo, after he was arrested on the scene following an alleged attempt to attack Mr Kishida with an explosive object during his election speech in Wakayama City.

He has not yet been charged.

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