Man Throws Five Firebombs at Japan's Ruling Party HQ, Tries to Ram PM's Office

Oct 19, 2024, 07:07 AM

A man was arrested in Tokyo after throwing five to six Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday morning. The firebombs struck a police riot vehicle but caused no injuries. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Atsunobu Usuda in some reports, then attempted to ram his van into the fence outside the Prime Minister's Office, where Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is based. No injuries were reported from the attack. The incident occurred just over a week before Japan's general election. The suspect is believed to have previously been involved in anti-nuclear protests and campaigned for the abolition of election deposits. Police and firefighters responded to the scene, and an investigation is underway.