The central government said Tuesday it would take steps to protect schoolchildren following the recent murders of two girls in Hiroshima and Tochigi prefectures.
"We will implement strengthened measures to allay public concerns and try to prevent further crimes involving children on roads leading to schools," National Public Safety Commission Chairman Tetsuo Kutsukake told a news conference.
Police, school staff, local residents and volunteers will jointly reinforce safety patrols when students go back and forth from school, Kutsukake said.
Education minister Kenji Kosaka told a separate news conference that other ministries would be consulted about installing surveillance cameras at school gates and on the roads leading to them.
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry also asked schools to compile safety measures to protect children.
The moves were spurred by the murders of a 7-year-old girl in Hiroshima Prefecture late November and another 7-year-old in Tochigi Prefecture earlier this month. Both were killed while heading home from school.
In Imaichi, Tochigi Prefecture, a memorial service was held for Yuki Yoshida, with about 180 people attending.
The girl disappeared Thursday after parting with schoolmates and was found dead in a forest Friday afternoon in Ibaraki Prefecture.
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