Analysis of the Assassination of Former Japanese Prime Minister Shows Security Lapses; Highlights Uptick in Violent Behavior Towards Executives and Government Officials

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ShinzoAbe--Global insights and advisory firm, Emergent Risk International, teamed up with the protective intelligence experts at Ontic, AtRisk International and TorchStone Global to study the shocking July assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The incident and outcome of their analysis provide lessons in protecting high-profile individuals as well as highlighting an alarming increase in threats to public and private-sector executives and high-profile individuals.

�Geopolitical events, violent crime trends, the availability of weaponry�and as we saw in Abe�s murder, the ability to construct homemade weapons�continue to present ever-evolving threats to high-profile individuals and ongoing challenges to those tasked with protecting them,� said Meredith Wilson, chief executive officer of Dallas-based Emergent Risk International (ERI). �Given Japan�s reputation as a very safe country, the fact that such a crime occurred in broad daylight underscores a need for vigilance and threat awareness that can sometimes evade us in traditional �low threat� environments.�

Among geopolitical, mental health and crime trends, the analysis discusses assassinations in recent years of elected officials in Germany and Britain and the shooting of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives during a Congressional baseball practice. In the wake of COVID-19 and the contested 2020 election, there has been a wave of threats in the US and abroad directed at public health officials, election workers, scientists and politicians. Although not included in the study, in August, Iranian dissident Salmon Rushdie was also the victim of an attempted assassination that left him critically injured while speaking at a public event.

"We're pleased to have partnered with these leading organizations to bring the industry a unique perspective on the unfortunate assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe," said Fred Burton, Executive Director of the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence. "We hope the lessons learned in this attack are helpful for all security professionals as they continue to develop best practices for their programs."

Private sector executives are hardly immune from such trends. Ontic survey data shows that nearly 90% of companies surveyed experienced a �dramatic� increase in threats in the first half of 2022, even over 2021�s elevated levels. Company security managers cite extremism, political polarization, mental health, and insider threats among the suspected reasons for the increase. The growing expectation that companies speak out on controversial and emotional issues has also increased security risks.

�Taken together, these trends suggest a need for clear-eyed, professional intelligence assessment that accounts for more than the immediate physical security environment,� said ERI�s Wilson. �A comprehensive assessment of public venues, threat actors, online rhetoric and analysis of data on root causes like mental health concerns, increased substance abuse and other related factors can assist decision-makers and security professionals in keeping their executives � and their entire workforce - safer.�

The full report can be accessed here on emergentriskinternational.com.

About Emergent Risk International

Emergent Risk International is a Dallas, Texas-based strategic intelligence and advisory firm specializing in crafting business-centered risk intelligence, technology, staffing, training, and consulting solutions to address geopolitical, regulatory, and security risks in global business. We are located in the US, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Learn more about how ERI can be #yourdecisionadvantage. Visit us at our website or follow us on Twitter and Linkedin.

About TorchStone Global

TorchStone is a premier global risk mitigation and security firm, providing customized solutions to address each client need across the entire spectrum of security. We deliver peace of mind and confidence in an increasingly unstable and unpredictable world.

Find out more at torchstoneglobal.com.

About AT-RISK International

AT-RISK International is a global protection agency specializing in security services for individuals and organizations. Our team of experts creates and maintains secure environments by providing threat analysis, protection, investigations, consulting, intelligence and security training services. Since 2003, our mission has been to discretely mitigate security threats before they occur. Through advanced research, analysis and preparations, we protect companies and individuals throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Asia Pacific.

Find out more at-riskinternational.com

About Ontic

Ontic is a protective intelligence software innovator transforming, expanding and changing how Fortune 500 and emerging enterprises protect employees, customers and assets from physical security threats. Ontic�s SaaS platform helps preserve business continuity and build long-term organizational resilience by collecting and connecting data to create a comprehensive view of potential threats and take necessary actions to mitigate risks. Ontic also provides threat assessment, threat management and strategic intelligence services that include expert training, guidance and program development using best practices and proven protocols.

The Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence is a trusted resource for those in the security, safety and protection communities that shares strategies and best practices, insights on current and historical trends and lessons learned through dialogue, discourse and alternative analysis from some of the industry's top practitioners.

For more information please visit ontic.co or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn

Contacts

For more information or press inquiries, please contact us at:
[email protected]