Car crashes into Japan parliament gate
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-30 15:54

A car crashed into a gate of Japan's parliament building near the prime minister's office on Thursday and caught fire.

The blaze was extinguished and the driver detained by police, said reporters at the scene.

Japanese policemen and a firefighter investigate a car which was set on fire at a gate of Japan's parliament building in Tokyo September 30, 2004. The car crashed into the parliament building near the prime minister's office and caught fire. The blaze was extinguished and the driver detained by police. [Reuters]

The car rammed into a gate of the lower house, and fire trucks rushed to the scene, which was swarming with police.

A car bursts into flames at a gate of Japan's parliament building in Tokyo September 30, 2004. [Reuters]

Television footage showed black smoke billowing from the burning vehicle before the fire was put out.

Japanese firefighters extinguish a car on fire while policemen stand guard in front of a gate of Japan's parliament September 30, 2004.[Reuters]

Public broadcaster NHK said the driver belonged to a right-wing group but police had no immediate comment.

Security at key facilities in Tokyo has been tightened since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States and was further boosted after Japan sent non-combat troops to Iraq in February to help in reconstruction efforts.

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