Japan police to test wearable cameras to record street questioning
Police officers in Japan will wear body cameras on a trial basis to record questioning in public spaces, the police agency said Thursday, Kyodo reports.
Police officers will start wearing the name card-sized cameras mounted on the chest or side of the head from next fiscal year to record their duties and provide evidence in cases of traffic violations and control crowd situations, it said.
The National Police Agency aims to introduce the system nationwide after assessing the public reaction and impact on police duties.
Social media uploads in recent years of people being stopped and questioned by officers have prompted complaints to the police or the National Public Safety Commission by members of the public, the police said.
"There are cases in which some scenes cut off abruptly" in the uploaded videos, a police agency official said, adding the wearable camera footage would allow verification that procedures were followed appropriately.
To warn members of the public that a camera has been activated, the police are considering requiring officers to wear armbands, the agency said.
Regarding the legal basis for the filming, the official said, it would be "restricted to police activities on the streets and treated in the same way as security cameras that record public spaces."
Recording would not be stopped if an individual objects to being filmed but could be suspended if a police officer is being consulted by a victim of a crime or enters a private home, the official added.
Dozens of wearable cameras will be distributed to several prefectural police departments for the trial in the year starting next April, the agency said.
The video footage will be stored for around a week to three months depending on the department. The police agency has booked around 10 million yen ($67,000) in the fiscal 2024 budget to prepare for the trial.