TOKYO -- Japan’s NHK television reported Saturday that a loud explosion occurred at a western Japanese port during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit, but there were no injuries.

Kishida was visiting the Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to cheer his ruling party's candidate in a local election. There was an explosion just before he was to begin his speech, NHK said.

A man believed to be a suspect was apprehended at the scene, and NHK footage showed several uniformed and plainclothes police officers gathered around the man and pressing him to the ground.

The incident comes nine months after Kishida's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech.