Japan jails Ryuji Kimura for 10 years after pipe bomb attack on ex-PM Kishida

Ryuji Kimura, 25, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to kill former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with a homemade pipe bomb during a campaign event in April 2023. The Wakayama District Court's ruling emphasized the serious threat posed to democracy by such attacks and the potential for harm, as two bystanders were injured. Prosecutors argued that Kimura's actions demonstrated a clear intent to kill, citing the lethal potential of the explosive device. Although Kimura claimed he sought only to attract attention to his dissatisfaction with Japan's electoral system, the court rejected his defense and deemed the act a malicious terror attack. The sentence comes in the wake of heightened concerns over political violence in Japan, following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. The court's decision reflects a broader commitment to ensuring election security and deterring similar future incidents.