Attack in Japan raises alarm about VIP security weeks before G7 summit

Less than a year after a former premier was gunned down and weeks before Japan meets G7 leaders, doubts about the state of VIP security have been raised after an explosive device was thrown at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at an election rally on Saturday.

A flaming metal cylinder landed within a meter of Kishida as he spoke at a by-election campaign rally in a fishing harbour in Wakayama City, western Japan.

As police and witnesses tackled a suspect, Kishida was escorted out of the partially contained area. A few seconds later, the tiny device went boom. The media reported that a few persons were injured slightly.

According to four experts cited by Reuters, this episode reveals flaws in Japan’s security system and a failure to implement adjustments following the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe during an election campaign last year.

Security expert and Nihon University professor Mitsuru Fukuda said, “There is no doubt that it was a security failure because the prime minister was giving his speech at the worst possible place where he couldn’t possibly be protected.”

“Police have said their security plans would be reviewed and revised in light of (Abe’s) shooting, but I don’t think they are implementing any of these measures,” he said.

A man using a handmade gun shot and killed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, sending shockwaves throughout Japan and prompting a review of security practices for officials who frequently interact with the public.

THE CRUCIAL MOMENT
The explosion in Wakayama has yet to be explained, but it occurred just before Japan was set to host the Group of Seven ministerial meetings this week and a leaders’ summit in Kishida’s home city of Hiroshima in May.

Fukuda stated that authorities are able to guarantee strong security for such large international events by mobilizing a large police presence. However, informal gatherings are where weaknesses are most likely to be revealed.

The likelihood of being targeted is growing, so Japan needs a new system of security and awareness, according to Fakuda.

Security measures for the Wakayama event over the weekend were approved by the National Police Agency, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Monday.

He also noted that the administration has issued directives for increased security at high-profile events.

When Abe was murdered last July, Kishida was one among the administration leaders who admitted there had been security lapses. read on

The attacker on Saturday was reportedly within ten meters of Kishida.

After the attack, media outlets stated that Kishida, the premier, was facing out toward an outdoor parking area while the throng behind him was protected by a roof.

A flaming canister lands and moves toward Kishida as voices ring out in one video. As additional security guards surround Kishida and push him toward a parking lot, one of them blocks the device with a bulletproof briefcase and kicks it away.

“HIGHLY UNSAFE”
Videos indicated that after the device was thrown, a spectator seized a young man and held him in a headlock, while another bystander grabbed the suspect by the waist and brought him to the ground as police crowded around.

“There’s no doubt this was extremely dangerous incident,” said Katsuhiko Ikeda, former superintendent general of the Tokyo police.

He argued that this demonstrated the limited effectiveness of the National Police Agency’s examination of security plans.

Whether or not “the forces on the ground” have “the correct decision in every eventuality” and “the proper sense of crisis” is a major consideration, he said.

Chief analyst at the Council for Public Policy Chief Isao Itabashi recommended indoor venues with bag checks and metal detectors for high-profile politicians’ public appearances.

“The most serious problem was that an explosive device was smuggled in,” he explained. As a result, “the lessons from Abe’s incident haven’t been applied.”

The explosion was first attributed to a smoke bomb, but subsequent investigations and a search of the suspect’s residence reportedly revealed he possessed components to build pipe bombs.

According to the Asahi newspaper, a fisherman who was a witness to the explosion said it hurt his back. Public broadcaster NHK claimed that fragments of the explosive device were discovered on a roof 40 meters from the blast site.