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Ginza Apple Store calls off promotional event in wake of bomb threat

The Ginza Apple Store in Tokyo was forced to cancel an event on Sunday following the delivery of an anonymous letter, which threatened a bombing unless the event was called off.

The event was due to start at 2 in the afternoon and feature guests such as director Isao Yukisada, the Japan Times said on Monday. The store received the letter around 11 a.m. however, after which Apple not only cancelled the event but shuttered the store for an hour and called police.

A search of the outlet didn't find any explosives. Local police are continuing their investigation under the assumption it was a deliberate obstruction of business.

The Ginza store held another event today as part of Apple's Hour of Code series. The speaker was LoiLo CEO Koji Sugiyama, who spoke about his company's educational apps for kids.

Threats are a fairly rare occurrence at Apple Stores, despite the size and international reach of the chain. The company is usually quick to close shops at the first hint of danger to shoppers.



20 Comments

quadra 610 6685 comments · 16 Years

which threatened a bombing unless the event was called off.

The event was due to start at 2 in the afternoon and feature guests such as director Isao Yukisada

And...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isao_Yukisada

Might it be that the real problem here is for Mr. Yukisada and some of these other guests, rather than (directly) for Apple? Does someone have a beef with these guests? What was the actual nature of this "event" at Apple?

Or it could have just been nonsense. But then why bother to demand that the event be called off? Just make a general bomb threat without all the specificity. 

bloggerblog 2520 comments · 16 Years

lkrupp said:
Samsung must be getting desperate.

LOL, my thoughts exactly

jbdragon 2312 comments · 10 Years

Fandroids, Taking it to the next level!

linkman 1041 comments · 11 Years

Has there ever been a bomb threat by mail or phone that was legitimate? Those that threaten with such means are not out to take anyone's life but rather disrupt or destroy our way of life. It appears that they have succeeded. Bomb threats should be categorically ignored without corroborating evidence. If the perpetrator wanted to really harm anyone then they wouldn't have given notice like this.