Japan Foreign Min. Draws Flak over Costumes Used in Antiterror Drill

Tokyo, Sept. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Foreign Ministry has drawn criticism on social media that costumes used in its antiterrorism drill this month were associated with the Middle East and the Islamic world.

Following the backlash, the ministry deleted a photo of the drill from its social media post. "We took various opinions seriously," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference on Friday, explaining the reason for the deletion.

"The drill is very important for the protection of Japanese nationals," Motegi stressed. "We will work to release appropriate information at the appropriate time, as well as careful explanations."

On Sept. 10, the drill was held with a security firm at a government facility in Tokyo to prepare for terror attacks and the abduction of Japanese nationals abroad.

The ministry reported the drill on X, with a photo of a scene in which a terrorist wearing a headscarf was covering a hostage's head with a bag.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]