Security tight for funeral with 20,000 MPD officers on duty

e Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department mobilized up to 20,000 police o cers Tuesday for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

e police were placed on the highest state of alert around the funeral venue — Nippon Budokan hall in the capital’s Chiyoda Ward — and other key areas in Tokyo.

Vehicle-thwarting security barriers were set up near the hall and nearby Yasukuni-dori avenue was lined with buses for security purposes. Police o cers could be seen scrutinizing their surroundings, keeping a close lookout for any suspicious activity.

Police standing about 3 meters apart lined Chidorigafuchi Ryokudo greenway, where members of the public queued to o er owers at special stands. e police continuously called out, “Please don’t enter the street!” and “Please keep moving!”

Numerous police o cers were deployed around the State Guest House in Minato Ward, Tokyo, which a number of foreign dignitaries have visited, and in front of foreign embassies in central Tokyo.

According to the MPD, a strange smell was reported on a Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train platform at JR Tokyo Station shortly a er 8 a.m. on the day. e area was examined but nothing suspicious was found, the police said. (Sept. 28)