Former health officials targeted in Japan attacks
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
A former top official at Japan's ministry of health, labour and welfare and his wife have been murdered and the wife of another retired ex-vice-health minister stabbed in separate attacks in Tokyo. It is not yet known if the events were linked but the ministry has stepped up security for current and former senior officials to counter possible further incidents. The officials held their posts in the late 1980s and 1990s. Although motives remain unclear, the ministry has been at the centre of a number of controversial problems, including the large numbers of HIV and hepatitis infections from contaminated blood products and recent contentious pension reforms. It is also responsible for other employment and social welfare issues.