Copyright kyodonews
TOKYO - Tokyo is on high alert for U.S. President Donald Trump's three-day visit that began Monday, with authorities particularly vigilant against possible sniper and so-called lone wolf attacks. Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said it has mobilized up to 18,000 officers and is stepping up questioning of suspicious individuals. Security measures are considered all the more vital following the assassination attempt on Trump in July last year, when he was fired upon from a rooftop during an outdoor campaign event, and the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a stump speech in 2022 by a lone wolf attacker. Tokyo police are conducting vehicle inspections around the U.S. Embassy in central Tokyo, with barriers installed to restrict vehicle access. Police dogs were deployed to search shrubbery for possible explosives. Similar inspections are being conducted around the prime minister's office and Trump's accommodations. Traffic restrictions have been implemented in some parts of the capital. Tokyo Station and other crowded rail hubs are also under increased surveillance as potential targets for terrorism. For emergency situations, Tokyo police have deployed emergency response teams equipped with submachine guns, as well as bomb disposal and chemical protection units. Authorities are also monitoring social media for suspicious posts that may indicate connections to lone wolf offenders. "If you feel something is off, do not hesitate to report it to the police," said Daisaku Takahashi, chief the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's first security division.
