Roundup: Japan vows to beef up antiterror efforts ahead of int'l events, public fear Abe's war reprisals

The Japanese government on Monday vowed to do its utmost to prevent a possible terrorist attack from occurring here in the wake of the devastating attacks that happened in Paris on Friday, as the nation looks ahead to hosting a number of high-profile international events.

The pledge by the government, however, comes amid growing concern among the public about the recent recasting by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the nation's military, which can now operate borderlessly and alongside allies in active theaters.

Japan's top government spokesperson told a press gathering Monday that antiterrorism measures would be introduced henceforth at a steady pace, while denouncing terrorism under any circumstances.

"We aim to implement antiterrorism measures steadily so that people can live in safety," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, adding that its information gathering methodology and terrorism analysis protocols will be augmented and put into practice at major transport hubs like ports and airports, as well as at other "key facilities."

Suga also said that the equipment necessary for such measures would be deployed and maintained.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary's comments come as vigils take place across Europe, centered on the capital of France Paris, which on Friday saw a number of coordinated attacks take place by the Islamic State extremist group, killing 129 people and leaving more than 350 people injured, 100 of whom remain in a critical state.

Suga on Monday denounced the actions of the terrorists as deplorable and vowed that along with Japan's own domestic antiterrorism efforts, it would coordinate with other countries in the ongoing struggle against terrorist organizations like ISIS.

"Whatever the reasons for it, terrorism should never happen," he said. "It is natural that we will take such measures as we firmly condemn terrorism and will coordinate with other countries concerned, which I believe will ensure that people can live in peace," he said.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has also pledged to stand by France, stating that such acts of terrorism are a challenge to both countries' shared values.

The chairman of National Public Safety Commission, Taro Kono, has been quoted as saying that the government will up its efforts to both collect and analyze terrorist-related data, in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Both Kono and Suga Monday highlighted the fact that Japan will be hosting some high profile international events in the coming years, that could be a possible target for future terror plots, and, as such, Japan needs to beef up its coordinated efforts to counter such threats.

"Japan will host a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations next year, the rugby world cup in 2019 and the Olympics and Paralympics in 2020," Suga said.

Some Japanese while expressing their sorrow at the events in Paris remain concerned about possible attacks in Japan following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushing a set of controversial war bills through parliament to enable the military to operate overseas without the previous constitutional constraints and possibly alongside the United States in active theaters.

"I couldn't have imagined that Japan would ever have been a target for terrorists like ISIS, but I'm worried that Japan's new military direction could put Japan in danger, in the same way as it has France and other countries," Hideki Ono, 78, a retired architect told Xinhua Monday.

"As ISIS has already targeted us once in the killings of journalist Kenji Goto and before that Haruna Yukawa, who's to say that Japan as a country might be targeted if we are involved in military activities overseas against such groups," quizzed Ono.

Similarly Yoshiko Ono said that while the acts of terrorism in Paris were disgraceful and such groups like ISIS need to be eradicated, the people of Japan remain committed to pacifist ways.

"We don't condone war in any form or under any circumstances and have lived in peace since the end of WWII. The redirection of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) was not our choice and if Japan becomes a target because of this, this will be completely undeserved," said Ono. "I'm really worried about this and want the world to know that we Japanese remain a peace-loving people," she said. Endit