By Toma Mochizuki,
As Japan beefs up security for the Group of Seven summit in May, separate attacks on its present and former prime ministers within a year have highlighted shortcomings in the nation's ability to protect high-profile figures like those set to gather in Hiroshima.
Following the latest attack by a man who targeted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida by throwing an explosive device at him as he campaigned in April, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno vowed to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of those attending the international event.
The incident took place despite increased security after a man shot and killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July last year when he was giving a stump speech in Nara, western Japan, ahead of a national election.
In the wake of the assassination of the nation's longest-serving prime minister, the National Police Agency set up last year a section dedicated to guarding imperial family members and dignitaries, while increasing the number of security police officers and enhancing their training.
Under its new security guidelines established last August, the agency strengthened its involvement with prefectural police, with agency officials tasked with examining and revising security plans drawn up by local police to protect dignitaries.
"It's difficult to believe that reforms implemented by the police (after Abe's shooting) were actually being put into practice" since there was another serious incident, said Mitsuru Fukuda, professor at the College of Risk Management at Nihon University.
The attack on Kishida came just a month ahead of the May 19-21 G-7 summit in Hiroshima, which will bring together leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union.
Despite having a reputation for being among the safest countries in the world, "Japan is the only developed country where high-ranking political figures have been targeted (in attacks) recently," Fukuda said.
In the lead up to the G-7 summit, the government said it is considering introducing technologies such as drones equipped with cameras and artificial intelligence to quickly detect suspicious behavior.
But it has increasingly become difficult for police, which have long tracked organized crime and extremist groups, to identify and prevent a so-called "lone wolf" attack perpetrated by an individual without allegiance to a specific organization.
In addition to those who targeted Abe and Kishida, such perpetrators include the suspect in the 2019 arson attack of Japanese anime studio Kyoto Animation Co., as well as the man found guilty of going on a stabbing spree at a care home for the mentally disabled in 2016.
Japan has some of the world's strictest gun laws, but the attacks on the Japanese lawmakers involved weapons constructed from everyday items, posing a problem for authorities.
The suspect who shot Abe used a homemade weapon gun, while the suspect in an explosives attack on Kishida used what appeared to be a handmade pipe bomb, with necessary components readily available to purchase online or in hardware stores.
Fukuda believes "public safety (in Japan) has been gradually getting worse" in the years since the post-war boom, pointing to assailants who commit attacks of "desperation" caused by various societal factors.
Reflecting a similar perception among the public, an online survey conducted last October by the NPA found nearly 70 percent of respondents felt safety had declined over the past 10 years, following a number of attacks on trains and other public spaces in recent years.
After the incident involving Kishida on April 15, police intensified security further, with police officers using metal detectors and inspecting people's baggage at stump speeches delivered by senior ruling and opposition lawmakers for elections held later in the month.
But a police agency official stationed at a stump speech in front of a busy station in Tokyo admitted, "It is difficult to inspect all passersby."
In another incident that demonstrated the heightened sense of caution, shoppers were evacuated and a counterterrorism squad and a bomb unit were dispatched in central Hiroshima in late April when a suspicious bag with no apparent owner was found at a shopping complex.
"There is a need to swiftly uncover the security issues in time for the summit," said Masahiro Tamura, professor at Kyoto Sangyo University and an alumnus of the NPA.
"It will be difficult to guarantee the safety of dignitaries without the people's cooperation in questioning," he added.
The G-7 summit will be held at a hotel on Ujina Island, about six kilometers from central Hiroshima, with the island only accessible via one bridge from the mainland. Traffic will be stopped for inspection, while police will work with the Japan Coast Guard to prepare for a possible approach by suspicious ships and drones.
The world leaders, who will travel under the protection of their own security services, may also visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in the western Japanese city known as a tourist hotspot. Security will be tight when dignitaries are transported in vehicles, according to experts.
"While security will be well prepared at the hotel venue, locations that are further away with a large number of unknown people, including tourists, are vulnerable to attacks," Nihon University's Fukuda said.
Police are also increasing vigilance in the capital as they are aware a terrorist attack took place in London during a 2005 Group of Eight summit held in Gleneagles, Scotland.
"Although the summit will be held in Hiroshima, we must exercise utmost caution in Tokyo, where many embassies and government facilities are located," said Hiroshi Kojima, head of the Metropolitan Police Department, at a security meeting in late April.
While Japan's crime-free reputation may have been dented by the recent high-profile incidents, the country has a strong track record of hosting planned international events without any security issues, Fukuda said.
"What Japan needs to do now is emphasize how safe the summits held in Japan have been in the past," he said.
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