Japan PM safe after 'smoke bomb' at speech

TOKYO - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed from the scene of a campaign speech after a blast sounded and white smoke filled the air, local media reported.

The incident in Wakayama came less than a year after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, which traumatised the country and forced a security shake-up for public officials.

Kishida was in the western city to deliver remarks in support of a ruling party candidate and had just finished sampling fish at a port when a disturbance rippled through the crowd gathered to hear him speak.

Footage from national broadcaster NHK showed the prime minister turning to look backwards as a person was detained by security and people moved away, some shrieking.

Seconds later, a blast was heard and white smoke filled the air.

NHK said a man had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of obstruction of business.

There was no immediate official confirmation of the incident, with local police declining to comment.

People at the scene described moments of panic.

"I ran frantically, and then, 10 or so seconds later, there was a loud sound and my kid started crying. I was stunned, my heart is still beating fast," one woman told NHK.

Reports said Kishida was unharmed and could still appear at campaign events scheduled for later in the day.

"That something like this happened in the middle of an election campaign that constitutes the foundation of democracy is regrettable. It's an unforgivable atrocity," Hiroshi Moriyama, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's election strategy chairman, told NHK.