It’s still unclear whether this is an accident or something worse.
I remember a time when airport security was so tight little old ladies were getting padded down for weapons and everyone had to take their shoes off to prove they didn’t have flammable liquids inside them. But something really seems to have changed now that we have the second visitor from the U.S.A arriving in Japan with a gun in nearly as many weeks.
Kansai International Airport was once again the scene of the incident and likely on higher alert after having let an elderly American tourist get through with a pistol and bullets in his suitcase on 22 March.
On 8 April, a Kansai International customs agent felt a 35-year-old passenger from the U.S. was suspicious and performed an X-ray inspection of his suitcase. As a result, a handgun with dozens of rounds was found inside. In addition, the man also had a knife kept in a case inside a sneaker that was also packed in his suitcase.
The suspect admitted bringing the weapons into Japan, telling police, “I decided to go to Japan while the World Expo was being held.” Authorities are still investigating his motives fully, but saying that normally innocent sentence while facing weapons charges gives it a much more heinous subtext.
▼ In an ANN report police are suggested to be leaning towards a possible terrorist attack on the expo.
Many online comments from readers of the news also suspected the worst and worried whether we’re really prepared to hold this international event safely.
“I think schools need to consider these things before deciding to send kids there.”
“Airport security is like a sieve. I hope the Expo security guards are preparing for the worst.”
“What the hell is going on at airports?”
“That’s… That’s just…”
“Is this a new guy with a gun? What airport did he come from?”
“What’s happened to inspections these days? I once left a lighter in my suitcase and got called out for it.”
“Anyone keeping a knife in their sneaker is suspicious to me…”
A rep from Kansai International Airport clarified that it is generally the departing airport’s responsibility to screen passengers and inspections upon entry are only carried out at the customs officers’ discretion as with this case.
Until police learn more, we still can’t be certain what this person’s motive was, but it’s clearly indicative of a major lapse in airport security on the U.S. side, and who knows where else, that needs to be addressed before something really bad takes place.
Source: TBS News Dig, Mainichi Shimbun via Yahoo! News, Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Pakutaso
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