Police nationwide are compiling and analyzing social media postings that might indicate future attacks on dignitaries, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned, spurred by the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe six months ago.
Police are beefing up security for VIPs in preparation for upcoming nationwide local elections in April and the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima in May.
According to police authorities, they had patrolled the internet in the past to detect drug trafficking and child pornography, but had not done so to detect and prevent crimes against dignitaries, except to gather information on specific organizations such as extremists and rightist groups.
