The Wakayama District Court sentenced a man who threw a homemade explosive toward then Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in 2023 to 10 years in prison on February 19.

Kimura Ryuji has been charged on five counts, including attempted murder, as two people sustained injuries when he tossed the bomb at a fishing port in Wakayama, western Japan, where Kishida was about to make a stump speech.

The 25-year-old defendant denied any intent to kill, saying he just wanted to express his dissatisfaction with Japan's electoral system and thought he can attract attention if he makes a loud noise.

Prosecutors sought a 15-year prison sentence, arguing that the explosive was as powerful as a handgun.

The court recognized that there was intent to kill as the explosion sent metal fragments flying, including one that was embedded into a warehouse wall about 60 meters away.