The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday issued a warning calling on Japanese to exercise caution when traveling to the resort island of Bali, Indonesia, following recent media reports of an alleged terrorist threat made against the popular holiday destination
The latest travel advisory came on the heels of reports that a local government office received an anonymous letter Monday, naming the island as the next target after last week's deadly terrorist attack in central Jakarta. That attack killed eight people, including four attackers, and injured more than 20.
Although the ministry said there were reports that the letter was a hoax, it still urged Japanese citizens who travel or reside on the holiday island to pay extra attention when visiting areas that are likely to be targets of attacks, such as shopping malls and tourist and government facilities.
The move came as local authorities reportedly beefed up security at airports, tourist attractions and government offices.
The ministry urged those who might travel to Indonesia to keep abreast of the latest news and information to ensure their safety.
According to the Indonesian tourism ministry, some 217,000 Japanese visited Bali in fiscal 2014.
In 2002, a total of 202 people, including two Japanese, were killed in bombings that targeted nightclubs in Bali.