Japan to put safety first at World Cup

Security will be the main priority at next year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea following Tuesday's terror attacks on the United States, Japanese organisers of the tournament (JAWOC) said.

But there will be no decision on possible new security measures until American authorities have identified those responsible, JAWOC officials said on Thursday.

"Resisting acts of terror remains an important part of our overall security policy. But until we know who was behind the attack and what their motives were, we cannot make a decision," JAWOC said in a statement.

"We will continue to work closely with the police and do what we can to make sure that the World Cup is safe for everyone."

JAWOC general secretary Yasuhiko Endo will travel to meet his South Korean counterpart Moon Dong-hoo in Chonju next week, but Japanese officials stressed that it was "not an emergency meeting."

"It is the annual general secretary meeting to discuss preparations for the World Cup. What happened in America will not be a specific topic, but I expect it will come up," said Hisao Shuto, JAWOC's public relations manager.

South Korean organisers (KOWOC) held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to review their existing security plans and vowed to reinforce measures to ensure the safety of the World Cup.

The establishment of a no-fly zone over World Cup venues and increased security of South Korean airspace was one of many items discussed at KOWOC security control headquarters.

"Those kinds of measures can only be made at a government level. JAWOC won't make any decisions on that until we talk with the politicians," said Shuto.

Thus far, JAWOC and KOWOC have been more preoccupied with the issue of combating soccer hooliganism at the first World Cup to be staged in Asia.

JAWOC said earlier this week that it will cooperate with German authorities to improve security measures for the World Cup.

In the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks, however, JAWOC admitted that the goalposts had shifted somewhat.

"This is on a completely different scale to what we have been planning for. Clearly, it is something that needs firm policies at a governmental level," a JAWOC spokesman said.