The threat of terrorism has become more real following the recent murder of two Japanese nationals by Islamic State militants in the Middle East, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday, calling for stepped-up security measures both at home and abroad.
"The threat of terrorism has become more realistic for our country," he said at a vice ministerial meeting aimed at finding ways to better protect Japanese citizens from international crimes and terrorism.
Two days after the militant group released an online video purporting to show the corpse of journalist Kenji Goto with a warning to Japan of "carnage wherever your people are found," Suga told the meeting: "I ask all of you to work together to strengthen anti-terrorism measures."