National Police Agency chief Setsuo Tanaka called for maximum security precautions before the Group of Eight summit in Okinawa late next month, telling police officials to guard against possible disruptive measures by nongovernmental organizations.
"It will be the first summit held outside of Tokyo. We must resolve many issues that we have little experience in dealing with," Tanaka told a meeting of NPA bureau chiefs and Okinawa, Fukuoka and Miyazaki prefectural police security officials.
Tanaka said there is a possibility that NGOs may stage huge demonstrations similar to those by tens of thousands of protesters during the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in November and December in Seattle.