On the morning of October 19, 2024, a 49-year-old man named Atsunobu Usuda reportedly threw several Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Tokyo before driving his vehicle into the Prime Minister’s residence, breaching security barriers. He also allegedly threw smoke bombs at police officers on the scene. Authorities apprehended him immediately on charges including obstructing justice.
According to NHK, around 6 AM, Usuda arrived at the LDP headquarters in Chiyoda Ward and hurled about five Molotov cocktails, igniting a fire that fortunately was extinguished quickly with no injuries reported.
Following this, he drove approximately 500 meters to the Prime Minister’s official residence, where he crashed through security barriers and launched a smoke bomb at the police. He was stopped by an officer and arrested on the spot. Officers later discovered around ten gas canisters and several unused Molotov cocktails inside Usuda’s vehicle.
Throughout the investigation, Usuda reportedly remained silent and refused to disclose his motives.
In an interview, Usuda’s father, Atsunobu Usuda, mentioned that his son had committed to anti-nuclear activism following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. He speculated that his son’s actions might stem from deeply rooted grievances against the nuclear energy policies of the LDP and their coalition government with Komeito.
Atsunobu expressed a mixture of emotions, stating, “While it’s only natural for my son to be arrested, to say I am not shocked would be a lie.” He also reflected on his son’s background, noting that Atsunobu had previously worked in transportation and even pursued a degree in law to challenge what he perceived as flaws in the election deposit system, qualifying as an administrative scrivener in the process.
The investigation continues as officials piece together the details surrounding this alarming incident.
