TOKYO: A Japanese politician who is the head of a fringe political party was attacked in Tokyo on Friday.

Takashi Tachibana, leader of the NHK Party, was attacked by a man with what appeared to be a large blade in front of the finance ministry.

Tachibana was conscious but bleeding from the ear before being sent to hospital.

The man who attacked Tachibana was arrested at the scene, according to Japanese news agency Jiji Press, which said that the assailant was quoted as telling investigators he did it because Tachibana was “the kind of person who drives an assembly member to commit suicide”.

This was in reference to an assembly member who died in an apparent suicide in January after Tachibana had “allegedly harassed (him) and urged supporters to protest in front of his home”, reported the Japan Times.

The NHK Party was initially founded on the call to reform Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, including for households not to pay the broadcasting fee if they don’t want to watch the channel.

The party has two upper house members, while Tachibana is a former upper house member.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2025