A 49-year-old man was arrested after launching a series of firebombs into the headquarters of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Tokyo on Saturday, reported the news agency AP.
Following the attack, Atsunobu Usuda took his car and crashed into the fencing surrounding Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba‘s residence. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to Tokyo police.
Usuda was apprehended at the scene and charged with obstructing the performance of official duties, with additional charges likely to follow.
While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, local media suggested that social media posts believed to be Usuda’s showed him expressing frustration over the financial requirements to run for public office in Japan, hinting at possible political ambitions.
Reports also noted that Usuda had participated in protests opposing nuclear power plants, though he was not available for comment.
The incident comes amid the controversies growing around LDP, which is involved in suspicious financial dealings and possible tax evasion. With elections for the lower house of Parliament scheduled for October 27, the ruling party faces declining public support.
Several tarnished politicians have lost the party’s official backing and are running as independents.
PM Ishiba, recently appointed to lead the party, hoped to rejuvenate its image. However, public opinion polls indicate a significant drop in popularity, and it remains uncertain whether the LDP will retain its majority in the upcoming election due to a fractured opposition.
In recent weeks, some candidates have been heckled during campaign events, an unusual occurrence in Japan’s typically reserved political culture.
The LDP has dominated Japanese politics for decades, steering the country through its post-war recovery and economic rise.
However, the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 during a campaign speech for the LDP has cast a shadow over the party. Abe’s killer cited connections between the LDP and the controversial unification Church, ties that continue to spark controversy within the party.