Japan’s ruling party headquarters is attacked with firebombs and suspect is arrested, media report

Man throws firebombs at Japan's ruling party HQ in Tokyo, amid election tensions and party scandals.

A man threw several firebombs into the headquarters of Japan’s ruling party in Tokyo on Saturday (October 19, 2024), public broadcaster NHK and other Japanese media reported. There were no reports of injuries.

The man, who was arrested on the spot, had driven his car into nearby fencing, the news reports said. His motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

Tokyo police declined to comment, noting the matter was still under investigation.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is increasingly unpopular with the public due to a ballooning money scandal involving dubious funding and suspected tax evasion. The party declined to comment on Saturday’s (October 19, 2024) attack, referring all queries to the police.

Voting for the lower house of Parliament is set for October 27, 2024. Some tarnished politicians lost the official backing of the ruling party but are running as independents.

The party recently chose a new leader, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, hoping to present a new image. But polls show its popularity plummeting, although it’s still unclear whether they will lose their majority grip on the lower house in the upcoming election given the splintered opposition.

Some candidates have been heckled, which is relatively rare in Japanese culture.