Tokyo's counter-terrorism unit begins operation ahead of Olympics

It’s so much better, surely, to have advance warning and intelligence on the possibility of such occurrences?

Is implying that they shouldn't be running drills for worst case scenarios, because they should count entirely on absolute success of preventing any incidents from happening.

Now, personally I prefer to take a more pragmatic approach in life, whereby we, as I said above, hope for the best, and plan for the worst. Japan is a country that has an intelligence service, and I strongly suspect will be looking out for any preventable incidents before the Olympics, but they are also human and as we've seen, sometimes terrorists figure out ways to slip through the cracks. So I personally support their efforts to prepare for how to deal with the worst case scenario, as that is better than coming to face the worst case scenario without having prepared for it. Imagine the criticism they would face then.

However, you have criticized them for doing this training, so I'm curious, why do you feel they should not be doing it?

It’s so much better, surely, to have advance warning and intelligence on the possibility of such occurrences?

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Seems to me they are doing both.

I don’t know how advanced the Japanese state is at intelligence gathering but from what I see it’s not very advanced

Perhaps not being able to see it is the point?

Let's just see how the cope with the rugby World Cup, and international journalists. Things are going to get really regrettable.

It’s so much better, surely, to have advance warning and intelligence on the possibility of such occurrences?

You mean through surveillance? It's the fire department. It's good training.

I don’t know how advanced the Japanese state is at intelligence gathering but from what I see it’s not very advanced

Japan is one of the most advanced countries. The head of cyber security can’t use a computer so he can never be hacked.

I don’t know how advanced the Japanese state is at intelligence gathering but from what I see it’s not very advanced

It's very advanced and mostly secret. Mass surveillance has been ongoing in this country for years:

"However, the true extent of the systematic profiling and surveillance of Japan’s Muslim community only came to light in 2010, when over 100 internal Metropolitan Police Department documents were leaked online.

The leak revealed that the police had compiled detailed profiles on 72,000 Muslims, including personal information such as bank account statements, passport details and records of their movements. The leak also showed that police had at times planted cameras inside mosques and used undercover agents to infiltrate Islamic nonprofit organizations and halal grocers and restaurants."

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/07/13/issues/shadow-surveillance-looms-japans-muslims/

"there does seem to be a distinct lack of knowledge and concern amongst Japanese people not simply about the NSA and US intelligence operations but surveillance and privacy more generally. The combination leads to the USA facing very little scrutiny over its international surveillance activities in Japan compared to that faced in other parts of the world"

https://ubisurv.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/japan-and-the-nsa/

Are the rescue firemen shown in the picture putting the same wearings in the sweltering summer in 2020? It is just crazy to hold an Olympic games in July and August in Tokyo.

Our dear leader should cancel all F-35s and buy a shi load of helicopters. At least 700. They can be duel purpose. Military and disaster relief. All big cities can have 20 and bases can be set up on islands ringing japan for self defense.

I don’t know how advanced the Japanese state is at intelligence gathering but from what I see it’s not very advanced

Are the rescue firemen shown in the picture putting the same wearings in the sweltering summer in 2020? It is just crazy to hold an Olympic games in July and August in Tokyo.

Being firemen they are probably used to sweltering temperatures.

But yeah the heat might be too much for others. The height of the Japanese summer is quite intense.

@Alfie Noakes

If the Japanese were so advanced then how is it that Aum were able to spread terror in Kanto on more than one occasion?

The immigration card that all foreigners tick and sign asks about criminal prosecution.

Doesnt that seem naive to you?

I do take your point about mass surveillance on Muslims but there has not been much of a problem on that front, has there.

A command vehicle will be dispatched to centralize management of personnel and equipment.

Well yes, I certainly hope a terrorist attack is in a convenient location, and not a inconvenient, regrettable location.

Seeing fireman running around dragging injured bodies behind them somehow doesn’t make me feel safe from acts of terrorists.

These drills imply that such acts have already been carried out!

It’s so much better, surely, to have advance warning and intelligence on the possibility of such occurrences?

No worry about terrorists in Tokyo Olympics. They will say this is not the place we "work" in summer.

Their penchant for using foreigners as guinea pigs and over zealousness to prove something gives me an inkling on who's going to be on the receiving end of terrorism.

I prefer my counter terrorism units to actually have weapons.

Preparation is good, though Terrorism will always find a way - look at the recent cases of Driving into Crowds that happened in the UK and France, you just need to be armed with a Car...

Japan due to it's lack of immigration and overly excessive Policing, has been one of the safer places to be within Today's World. With the new relaxed immigration Policy, combined with Japanese repeal of Article 9, one wonders what the future holds....

Japan- always slow. Japan has had terrorism for decades and only now they think this is necessary. They have a special operations group for much longer.