Analysis of Japanese Police from the Viewpoint of Democracy (From Policing, Security and Democracy: Theory and Practice, P 187-209, 2001, Menachem Amir, Stanley Einstein, eds., -- See NCJ-192667)

• NCJ Number: 192677
• Author(s): Minoru Yokoyama
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: Office of International Criminal Justice
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper examines the Japanese police from the viewpoint of democracy.

Abstract

Prior to World War II Japanese police were a militaristic state police whose main interest was to maintain order for the emperor and his government. Maintenance-of-order and law enforcement activities were performed very efficiently, while the people's rights to "due process" were neglected. The police carried out a kind of community policing, but it aimed to supervise people rather than to provide them with service. The Japanese police system was democratized, following the American model, after World War II. However, an autonomous local police system did not take root. Subsequent to the 1954 revision of the Police Law, Japan's police system was replaced by a new system composed of the National Police Agency and the prefecture (regional) police. Under this system, the National Police Agency has gradually strengthened its supervisory power over all prefecture police. While contemporary Japanese police have many democratic features, having served the conservative government for a long time, they are apt to lose their political neutrality. In addition, some serious police corruption caused by the police structure, and some structural problems of police practices in the process of law enforcement, have been noted. Notes, references, glossary