Attendance by women at an annual self-defense seminar in Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, increased fivefold this year amid heightened concern following the recent murder of a local woman allegedly at the hands of a U.S. base worker.
Hosted by Uruma Police Station, as many as 150 women took part in Monday's seminar, which is traditionally held at the beginning of summer, a time when sex crimes peak.
The murder of Rina Shimabukuro, 20, late last month prompted many first-timers to show up at this year's event.