With the slaying of seven Japanese by terrorists in Dhaka on Friday, some people are asking whether Japanese were specifically targeted. Experts interviewed by The Japan Times on Sunday said it was unlikely.
Still, they warn, there is an increased chance that Japanese citizens could become caught up in such events now that the Islamic State group appears to be expanding the range and scope of its operations.
"Anti-Western actions taken by ISIS are starting to show up in many parts of the world," J.F. Oberlin University professor Akira Kato said, using one of the names used to describe the radical Islamic State group. "Whether the current attack was led by ISIS or not, it's undeniable that the ideology of ISIS is spreading."