TOKYO Four suitcases left unattended on a sidewalk near the Imperial Palace today prompted anxious police to mobilize 200 riot officers, a traffic cordon and a bomb squad. The suitcases contained women’s clothing, police said
But the incident alarmed police, who are mobilizing 30,000 officers daily in an unprecedented security operation for the 60th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito’s reign Tuesday and the May 4-6 economic summit of industrial nations.
Various leftist radical groups, who have vowed to disrupt the emperor’s anniversary and the summit, have fired crude homemade rockets at public buildings, including the palace and the U.S. Embassy in the past month.
Police said today’s scare began when a middle-aged man unloaded four medium-sized suitcases from a taxi onto the sidewalk away.
A guard reported the unclaimed: baggage to police, who brought out 200 riot officers, immediately blocked off the bustling downtown street and sent a bomb disposal unit to inspect the suit cases, a police spokesman said.
After the suitcases were inspected with metal detectors, they were taken away in a special Vehicle for further tests.
When officers opened the suitcases, they found women’s clothing apparently belonging to foreign tourists.
Police were waiting for the baggage to be claimed.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 2, 1986
