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As Japan plays a more significant role in international society, it has become a more attractive target for international terrorists. Under these circumstances, Japan has mostly taken a conciliatory response, as used to deal with the JRA, Aum, MRTA terrorist incidents, in contrast to the hard line response in most Western nations. However, there has been a recent increase in support in Japan for more punitive methods. The aim of this study is to examine how Japan can develop its effective counter and anti-terrorist capabilities based on the understanding of Japanese cultural and social norms. It surveys the acceptability and effectiveness of policies for combating terrorism in a democratic society such as Japan. A flexible Japanese counter-terrorist response, which is influenced by characteristics of each terrorist incident could be the most effective strategy.