The National Police Agency ordered prefectural police forces across the country Friday to do all they can to prevent terrorist attacks in Japan in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
"Preventing terrorism is one of the main tasks of the police. I hope you will mobilize all your forces to live up to people's expectations," NPA chief Setsuo Tanaka told a meeting of security department chiefs of the local police forces.
Tanaka also called for security to be tightened ahead of a planned visit to Japan by U.S. President George W. Bush in mid-October.