Analysis of Lone Attacks as a Challenge for Preventing Violent Extremism from a Comparative Perspective

This report, written by Professor Yoshikazu Hamaguchi and Dr. Mana Yamamoto, provides a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon of lone attackers, a critical issue in the landscape of global security, particularly focusing on recent developments in Japan, a nation known for its low crime rates. Despite this, the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, 2022, by a lone attacker using a homemade firearm, has highlighted the persistent vulnerability to such acts of violence. This event marks a significant point of concern, reflecting a broader global trend of lone attackers who, without direct affiliation to extremist groups or clear ideological motivations, manage to carry out high-impact violent acts.

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in collaboration with the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI), has embarked on an in-depth study to analyze these incidents in Japan. The goal is to understand the radicalization processes of lone attackers and develop effective preventive measures that can be replicated across other nations with similar socio-economic profiles and challenges.

Read more and go to the report