Fri, 5 Dec 07:29:42 GMT17

 

Japan pension officials alerted after dual attacks
18 Nov 2008 14:35:11 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds PM to skip morning walk after incidents)

TOKYO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Japan's top health ministry and public pension officials were being warned about their personal safety after the suspected murder of a former vice minister and a stabbing at the home of another on Tuesday, the ministry said.

The incidents follow scandals at the health ministry that have angered the public, including the mishandling of millions of public pension accounts.

The health ministry has alerted its top officials and has also handed the National Police Agency the names and addresses of former senior officials so it could step up security around their homes, a spokesman said.

"From tomorrow, we will be increasing the number of security guards at the entrance to our building and on the floor where our executives work," he said.

Prime Minister Taro Aso will skip his daily morning walks for some time because of the incidents, Jiji news agency reported.

Police have raised the possibility of serial attacks, Kyodo news agency said.

A former vice health minister and his wife were found dead at their home earlier on Tuesday from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds, police said. The incident was being investigated as a possible murder, another police official said.

The wife of another former vice health minister was later stabbed at her home by a man disguised as a delivery man. Her wounds were not fatal.

"We don't know if they were targeted, but it's hard to believe this was a coincidence," Kono Taro, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, told reporters.

Both former officials were involved in introducing the current system at the heart of the mishandled pensions record scandal, public broadcaster NHK said.

The scandal over the misplaced pension records contributed to the ruling party's election loss last year and helped topple Aso's two predecessors from office.

Both resigned after their public support rates sank sharply, with voters also upset over an unpopular medical insurance plan for the elderly introduced earlier this year that forced some aged 75 and over to pay more. (Reporting by Chisa Fujioka, Linda Sieg; Editing by Paul Tait)
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