The Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday set up a section specializing in investigating lone offender terrorism, which involves attacks by people who do not belong to any organizations or groups.
The launch of the first such police section in Japan is designed to help prevent terrorist attacks by lone offenders on important persons and facilities.
"There is a need to take thorough measures against lone offender terrorism," MPD Superintendent-General Yuji Sakoda said at an inauguration ceremony for the section, citing the World Exposition in the city of Osaka and a House of Councilors election among events scheduled for this year that could be targeted by such individuals.
"I hope (the section) fulfills its mission and responsibility, with a strong conviction to protect the safety of the country and society," Sakoda said.
The move followed a series of such attacks in recent years, including the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 and a bomb attack on then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2023. Those cases involved the use of a homemade gun or explosive device.
Such attacks are difficult to detect in advance because only one person is responsible for everything from planning to execution.
The new MPD section is comprehensively in charge of matters related to lone offender terrorism, including information gathering, countermeasures and investigations.
It also analyzes information about suspicious persons and purchases of explosives that other MPD sections collect to detect signs of attacks early.
The new section also helps the MPD strengthen its vigilance against suspicious posts on social media through cyber patrols.
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