A Japanese court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to 10 years in prison for attempting to kill former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2023.
The attack happened on April 15, 2023, in Wakayama, where Kishida was about to give a speech during a political event.
The attacker threw a homemade bomb, which exploded but did not harm Kishida.
However, a police officer and a bystander suffered minor injuries.
The court ruled that the man intended to take Kishida’s life and disrupt the event.
Apart from attempted murder, he was also found guilty of violating laws on explosives, firearms, and election conduct.
Prosecutors had asked for a 15-year sentence, but the court handed him 10 years.
The convict claimed he did not plan to kill anyone but wanted to draw attention to his dissatisfaction with Japan’s electoral system.
The attack happened about a year after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated during a campaign speech.
Japan is known for its strict gun laws and low crime rate.