Japan has issued a travel alert for Europe, joining Britain and the US in warning of a possible terrorist attack by al-Qaida or other groups, but tourists appeared to be taking the mounting warnings in their stride.
The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo urged Japanese citizens to be cautious when using public transport or visiting popular tourist sites - issuing another blow to Europe's tourism industry, which is just starting to recover from the global financial crisis.
European authorities - especially in Britain, France and Germany - tightened efforts to keep the public safe in the wake of warnings by officials that the terrorism threat is high and extra vigilance is warranted.
Last week, a Pakistani intelligence official said eight Germans and two British brothers were at the heart of an al Qaida-linked terror plot against European cities, but the plan was still in its early stages, with the suspects calling acquaintances in Europe to plan logistics.
The official said the suspects were hiding in North Waziristan, a Pakistani tribal region where militancy is rife and where the US has increased its drone-fired missile strikes in recent weeks.
Security officials say terrorists may be plotting attacks in Europe with assault weapons on public places, similar to the deadly 2008 shooting spree in Mumbai, India. European officials have provided no details about specific targets.
Earlier, French police arrested a 53-year-old man suspected of links to bomb threats including one on Friday at a Paris railway hub, an official said. The suspect, who was not identified, was detained south-west of the capital for possible links to a phone-in threat at the Saint-Lazare train station.
The US State Department alert on Sunday advised the hundreds of thousands of American citizens living or travelling in Europe to take more precaution about their personal security. Britain's Foreign Office warned travellers to France and Germany that the terror threat in the countries was high.
Germany's government said it has no evidence of an imminent terrorist attack in Germany, or that sites in Berlin face a specific threat.
Read More
Top security official Thomas de Maiziere said that Germany has been drawing on all possible sources to asses the current threat level, but that it saw no "concrete indication of impending attacks".
