Japanese PM Fumio Kishida evacuated after a smoke bomb thrown
A man was detained at the scene in Wakayama, where Mr Kishida had been due to give a speech, local media reported.
A witness said they saw a person throwing something, followed by smoke, while another said they heard a big bang. No injuries were reported.
The video showed officers piling on top of a person believed to be a suspect.
He was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of business and later identified by the authorities as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura. His motivation is still unclear.
Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, quoted Mr Kishida as saying there was a "loud blast" at the venue. "Police are investigating details, but I'd like to apologise for worrying many people and causing them trouble."
NHK broadcast footage where crowds appear to be running away from the scene.
The footage also shows people swarming around one man, holding him down, and then carrying him away.
Mr Kishida had just started to deliver a speech after touring the fishing harbour in Wakayama for a campaign event when the object was thrown, and he took cover.
After the incident, Mr Kishida addressed a crowd in another location and said the incident should not disrupt the electoral process.
A woman at the scene told NHK: "I was stunned. My heart is still beating fast."
A person who said they saw an object flying through the air said it gave them a "bad feeling, so we ran away unbelievably fast".
"Then we heard a deafening noise. It made my daughter cry," they added.
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