A suspected smoke bomber who threw a smoke bomb at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may have harbored a grudge against the electoral system, according to court documents revealed Tuesday, after he failed to qualify as a candidate in last year's House of Councilors elections.

Edited by|ANNA SAM

WORLD SECTION CJ NEWS

18 APRIL 2023 - TOKYIO

    According to the Japanese Kyodo News Agency, Ryuji Kimura, 24, remained silent after his arrest after he threw a bomb at Kishida before giving an election speech last Saturday in Wakayama City, western Japan, and Kishida was not injured.

The documents stated that a man with the same name and address filed a lawsuit with the Kobe District Court last June, seeking compensation of $ 740 for mental damage, after he was unable to launch his candidacy for the House of Councilors elections that were scheduled for the following month.

Kimura claimed at the time that he could not meet the requirements of being at least 30 years old as well as paying 3 million yen to run in the House of Councilors elections, which he said violated the constitution, which guarantees equality according to the law.

But the District Court dismissed the case last November, on the grounds that the age and money requirements were reasonable preconditions. He has appealed against the court in the Osaka High Court, and the verdict is scheduled for next May.