Asia | Kishida in the clear

Japan’s prime minister has recovered from a rough patch

The ruling party’s victory in local elections will help quell doubts about Kishida Fumio’s grip

Fumio Kishida, Japan's prime minister, speaks during the National Defense Academy's graduation ceremony in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on Sunday, March 26, 2023. Japan is hiking its defense spending by more than a quarter in 2023 to ¥6.82 trillion ($51.4 billion) as it begins a five-year program to toughen its security posture amid rising threats from China, North Korea and Russia. Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Image: Getty Images
|Tokyo

Editor’s note: On April 15th Kishida Fumio was evacuated from an event at which he was due to give a speech, following an explosion. Mr Kishida was reportedly unhurt after what appears to have been a smoke bomb was hurled at him in a venue in Saikazaki. A man was arrested at the scene.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Kishida in the clear”

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