Ten years after al-Qaida attacked the United States on Sept. 11, Japan has strengthened efforts to combat domestic and international terrorism through new legislation, policy directives and tougher immigration procedures.
But although police powers have been boosted in the name of preventing terrorism, the official use of the word "terrorist" has expanded to encompass not only internationally recognized terrorist organizations, but also groups and individuals protesting — sometimes violently — against government policies.
After the 9/11 attacks, Tokyo announced it would work with Washington to combat international terrorism. But strengthening domestic laws to prevent terrorists and suspected extremists from entering or transiting through Japan, or from funneling money through its banks, took many years.