Law Enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia Law Enforcement in Japan from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
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9/25/2014 Law enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Law enforcement in Japan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Law enforcement in Japan is provided by the Prefectural Police under the oversight of the National Police Agency or NPA. The NPA is headed by the National Public Safety Commission thus ensuring that Japan's police are an apolitical body and free of direct central government executive control. They are checked by an independent judiciary and monitored by a free and active press. Japanese Police logo Contents 1 History 2 National Organization 2.1 National Public Safety Commission 2.1.1 National Police Agency 2.1.1.1 Police Administration Bureau Aichi Prefecture Toyota Crown police car 2.1.1.2 Criminal Investigation in the parking lot in the Expo 2005 Aichi Japan Before the South Korean pavilion. Bureau 2.1.1.3 Traffic Bureau 2.1.1.4 Security Bureau 2.1.1.5 Regional Public Safety Bureaus 2.1.1.6 Police Communications Divisions 2.1.1.7 Imperial Guard 3 Strength 4 Local organization 4.1 Prefectural Police 4.1.1 Kōban 5 Riot police 6 Special police http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Japan 1/20 9/25/2014 Law enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 6.1 Special judicial police officials (特別司法警 察職員) 6.1.1 Cabinet Office 6.1.2 Ministry of Justice 6.1.3 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 6.1.4 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 6.1.5 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 6.1.6 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism 6.1.6.1 Coast Guard Officer (海上保 安官) 6.1.7 Ministry of Defense 6.2 Officials working for public safety, except for Special judicial police officials 6.2.1 The National Diet 6.2.2 Ministry of Justice 6.2.2.1 Public security intelligence officer (公安調査官) 6.2.3 Ministry of Finance 6.2.4 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare 6.2.5 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 6.3 Tables 7 Special operations 8 Rank 9 Uniform 10 Conditions of service 11 Transportation 11.1 Ground 11.2 Aviation 11.3 Watercraft 12 Police-community relations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Japan 2/20 9/25/2014 Law enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 13 Historical secret police organizations 14 See also 15 References 16 External links History The Japanese government established a European-style civil police system in 1874, under the centralized control of the Police Bureau within the Home Ministry, to put down internal disturbances and maintain order during the Meiji Restoration. By the 1880s, the police had developed into a nationwide instrument of government control, providing support for local leaders and enforcing public morality. They acted as general civil administrators, implementing official policies and thereby facilitating unification and modernization. In rural areas especially, the police had great authority and were accorded the same mixture of fear and respect as the village head. Their increasing involvement in political affairs was one of the foundations of the authoritarian state in Japan in the first half of the twentieth century. The centralized police system steadily acquired responsibilities, until it controlled almost all aspects of daily life, including fire prevention and mediation of labor disputes. The system regulated public health, business, factories, and construction, and it issued permits and licenses. The Peace Preservation Law of 1925 gave police the authority to arrest people for "wrong thoughts". Special Higher Police (Tokko) were created to regulate the content of motion pictures, political meetings, and election campaigns. The Imperial Japanese Army's military police (Kempeitai) and the Imperial Japanese Navy's Tokeitai, operating under their respective services and the justice and home ministries aided the civilian police in limiting proscribed political activity. After the Manchurian Incident of 1931, military police assumed greater authority, leading to friction with their civilian counterparts. After 1937 police directed business activities for the war effort, mobilized labor, and controlled transportation. After Japan's surrender in 1945, occupation authorities retained the prewar police structure until a new system was implemented and the Diet passed the 1947 Police Law. Contrary to Japanese proposals for a strong, centralized force to deal with postwar unrest, the police system was decentralized. About 1,600 independent municipal forces were established in cities, towns, and villages with 5,000 inhabitants or more, and a National Rural Police was organized by prefecture. Civilian control was to be ensured by placing the police under the jurisdiction of public safety commissions controlled by the National Public Safety Commission in the Office of the Prime Minister. The Home Ministry was abolished and replaced by the less powerful Ministry of Home Affairs, and the police were stripped of their responsibility for fire protection, public health, and other administrative duties. When most of the occupation forces were transferred to Korea in 1950–51, the 75,000 strong National Police Reserve was formed to back up the ordinary police during civil disturbances, and pressure mounted for a centralized system more compatible with Japanese political preferences. The 1947 Police Law was amended in 1951 to allow the municipal police of smaller communities to merge with the National Rural Police. Most chose this arrangement, and by 1954 only about 400 cities, towns, and villages still had their own police forces. Under the 1954 amended Police Law, a final restructuring created an even more centralized system in which local forces were organized by prefectures under a National Police Agency. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Japan 3/20 9/25/2014 Law enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The revised Police Law of 1954, still in effect in the 1990s, preserves some strong points of the postwar system, particularly measures ensuring civilian control and political neutrality, while allowing for increased centralization. The National Public Safety Commission system has been retained. State responsibility for maintaining public order has been clarified to include coordination of national and local efforts; centralization of police information, communications, and record keeping facilities; and national standards for training, uniforms, pay, rank, and promotion. Rural and municipal forces were abolished and integrated into prefectural forces, which handled basic police matters. Officials and inspectors in various ministries and agencies continue to exercise special police functions assigned to them in the 1947 Police Law. National Organization National Public Safety Commission The mission of the National Public Safety Commission is to guarantee the neutrality of the police by insulating the force from political pressure and to ensure the maintenance of democratic methods in police administration. The commission's primary function is to supervise the National Police Agency, and it has the authority to appoint or dismiss senior police officers. The commission consists of a chairman, who holds the rank of minister of state, and five members appointed by the prime minister with the consent of both houses of the Diet. The commission operates independently of the cabinet, but liaison and coordination with it are facilitated by the chairman's being a member of that body. National Police Agency As the central coordinating body for the entire police system, the National Police Agency determines general standards and policies; detailed direction of operations is left to the lower echelons.[1] In a national emergency or large-scale disaster, the agency is authorized to take command of prefectural police forces. In 1989 the agency was composed of about 1,100 national civil servants, empowered to collect information and to formulate and execute national policies. The agency is headed by a commissioner general who is appointed by the National Public Safety Commission with the approval of the prime minister.[1] The Central Office includes the Secretariat, with divisions for general operations, planning, information, finance, management, and procurement and distribution of police equipment, and five bureaus. Police Administration Bureau The Administration Bureau is concerned with police personnel, education, welfare, training, and unit inspections. Criminal Investigation Bureau The Criminal Investigation Bureau is in charge of research statistics and the investigation of nationally important and international cases. This bureau's Safety Department is responsible for crime prevention, combating juvenile delinquency, and pollution control. In addition, the Criminal Investigation Bureau surveys, formulates, and recommends legislation on firearms, explosives, food, drugs, and narcotics. The Communications Bureau supervises police communications systems. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Japan 4/20 9/25/2014 Law enforcement in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There are also nine active field police squads 1st division: Homicide or unregistered weapons. 2nd division: Robbery or sex-related crimes. 3rd division: Controlled substances or organized crime. 4th division: Burglary, kidnapping or blackmail. 5th division: Bombs or explosives. 6th and 8th division: Rapid reaction units. 7th division: Financial crimes. 9th division: Cybercrimes. Two task-force-grouped centers include: Forensic Science Center: Forensic Section (Criminalistics Office). Forensic Biology Office