Japan on heightened terror alert

Japan ordered riot police to patrol airports and guard nuclear plants and beefed up security at other key facilities nationwide, in a precaution against terror attacks as the country deploys troops in Iraq.

Around 650 vital facilities, including US military bases, were put under increased surveillance, the Yomiuri newspaper and other media reported.

Authorities would not say if they had new information about a terrorist threat or reveal how many police officers would be mobilised in the build-up.

The National Police Agency yesterday ordered local law enforcement authorities to raise security around possible terrorist targets to its highest level since the US -led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

The alert sent a shiver through global financial markets, knocking the Japanese yen to a 10-week low against the US dollar yesterday.

It was issued amid concern about terrorist retribution as Japanese troops joined the US-led coalition in Iraq on a noncombat mission to rebuild its war-shattered infrastructure. This week a pair of crude mortars were fired at Japan’s Defence Agency in a failed attack that police blamed on leftist radicals.

The National Police Agency said riot police armed with automatic rifles would guard international airports in Tokyo and Osaka and nuclear power and reprocessing facilities.

A police officer at Tokyo airport confirmed today that riot police had been deployed but declined to elaborate.

Police were also mobilised and additional checkpoints set up around the prime minister’s residence, the US Embassy, military facilities and national and local assembly buildings, the agency said. It also strengthened security at ports, railway stations and shopping malls.

In Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Japan was tightening security as it prepares to send troops to Iraq. Japan dispatched a destroyer and an amphibious vessel to the Middle East yesterday.

“Japan for the last few weeks has been taking some measures to improve the police preparedness as they prepare to deploy troops to Iraq,” he said. “Japan has kept us apprised of the measures they are implementing.”

Japan plans to send around 1,000 military personnel to Iraq on a noncombat mission in its largest deployment since the Second World War. About 120 ground troops are already in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah and Japan plans to increase their numbers to about 600.

Many fear that the dispatch could draw terrorist attacks in Japan. Last November an alleged al-Qaida operative threatened to attack Tokyo if it sent troops to Iraq.