LDP of Japan Pushes for 'GPS Devices' on Stalkers... Sparks Debate Over Excessive Measures

Notification System for Proximity Alerts
Strengthening Measures to Protect Victims

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The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan is pursuing a plan to require perpetrators of stalking to wear location-tracking GPS devices that would automatically alert victims if the perpetrator approaches them.

On May 20, Yonhap News, citing Kyodo News, reported that the LDP’s Committee on Public Safety, Counterterrorism, and Cybercrime finalized a proposal the previous day that includes these measures.

The proposal envisions a system in which perpetrators who have been issued restraining orders by the courts or police would be required to wear GPS devices, sending notifications if they approach areas near the victim.

However, this approach has raised concerns about potential human rights violations and excessive restrictions on the perpetrator’s privacy.

In response, Committee Chair Yasushiro Hanashi explained, "This is not about monitoring the perpetrator’s location in real time 24 hours a day, but rather about protecting and reassuring the victim."

Currently, some countries have already introduced and are operating GPS tracking systems for certain offenders, such as sex offenders, and the Japanese National Police Agency has also been researching overseas cases.

The committee also included in its proposal a plan to make treatment and psychiatric counseling, which police authorities currently recommend for perpetrators but have low participation rates, mandatory.

The background behind the Japanese political community’s push for such strong measures is a recent brutal stalking murder case.

In March, a woman was fatally attacked by a former partner inside a store at Sunshine City, a large commercial facility in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

The male perpetrator had been arrested on stalking charges in December of last year, and after receiving a restraining order in January of this year, he committed another crime, raising questions about the effectiveness of the existing system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.