TOKYO (Sputnik) – According to the Kyodo news agency, the center will be established on December 8. It will bring together some 30-40 specialists from the foreign and defense ministries, as well as the police force. The center will have four departments tasking themselves with the Middle East, Northern Africa, Southeast Asia and Southern Asia.
The decision to open such a center came after the Islamic State militants in January beheaded two Japanese nationals, entrepreneur Haruna Yukawa and freelance journalist Kenji Goto, in retaliation for Japan’s $200 million pledge in humanitarian aid for ISIL-affected countries.
The center was due to commence its operations in spring 2016, but the government decided to expedite its establishment over the Paris attacks earlier this month which claimed lives of 130 people.
