Japan steps up security for politicians, foreign dignitaries after Trump rally shooting

While Trump and Abe represent the conservative parties in their respective countries and were reported to be close political allies, analysts suggest it is too soon to reach conclusions on the parallels between the two attacks.

“We should not try to compare the two incidents, at least until we find out the motive of the US attacker,” said Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, an assistant professor of international relations at the University of Tokyo.

“The man who shot and killed Abe had complex reasons and it was less of a political attack than personal,” he told This Week in Asia. “With the Trump shooting, we just do not know enough yet. His motivation might have been political, it might have been personal, it could have been the result of mental illness.

“We should not speculate until the dust settles, although I am sure that politicians around the world are going to be paying more attention to their personal security from now on.”

The weapon used in the attack had been legally purchased by his father. As well as injuring Trump with the volley of shots, Crooks killed an onlooker at the rally and injured two other people. Secret Service snipers shot him dead on the roof of a building overlooking the rally site.

An investigation is expected to determine why Crooks did not raise any red flags with law enforcement agencies and how he was able to get close enough to the Republican Party’s likely presidential candidate to come so close to killing him.

The incident has clearly shaken authorities in Japan, with the national police agency instructing prefectural police to ensure safety within and outside venues that are being used by speakers. Local headquarters were also told to make sure that countermeasures announced after the killing of Abe on