JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed on Saturday after an explosive device was thrown in his direction while he was campaigning at a fishing port in western Japan, officials said. 

Police wrestled a suspect to the ground as screaming bystanders scrambled to get away and smoke filled the air.

One police officer was slightly hurt during the incident.

The chaotic scenes were reminiscent of the assassination nine months ago of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, which also came on a campaign tour and continues to reverberate in Japanese politics. 

Mr Kishida was visiting Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to support his ruling party’s candidate in a local election. The explosion occurred just before he was to begin his speech.

An unnamed suspect was arrested at the scene after he allegedly threw “the suspicious object,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. 

Mr Matsuno refused to comment on the suspect’s motive and background, saying that police were still investigating.

It was not immediately clear what the explosive device was or how many the suspect had, but some reports said it was a smoke or pipe bomb, possibly with a delayed fuse.

Mr Abe’s assassination in July last year came as he delivered a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. 

The alleged shooter, Tetsuya Yamagami, has been charged with the murder and several other crimes.

He told investigators that he killed Mr Abe, one of Japan’s most divisive politicians, because of the former prime minister’s apparent links to the Unification Church. 

Security has also been ramped up in Japan as senior diplomats arrived for Sunday’s G7 foreign minister meetings. 

Mr Kishida will host a May 19-21 G7 leaders’ summit in his hometown of Hiroshima.

Saturday’s attack comes ahead of nationwide local elections and several parliamentary by-elections scheduled for April 23.