Japan could aid the fight against terrorism by strengthening its wire-tapping law and letting prosecutors plea-bargain with terrorism suspects, a top FBI official said Wednesday.
John Pistole, deputy director of the FBI, met with officials of the National Police Agency and other agencies in Tokyo to discuss the benefits of the U.S. Patriot Act.
Pistole, who is also in Tokyo to talk about security arrangements for the Group of Eight summit in 2008, praised Japan's counterterrorism steps but said an even tougher stance would help other countries fight terrorism.
"Not only Japan but the U.S. and all allies who are engaged in the fight against terrorism worldwide benefit anytime a country passes strong antiterror laws," he told reporters at the U.S. Embassy.
"If it is a Patriot Act-type of law, then I can't see any way but for all democracies to benefit, primarily for the ability to share intelligence in a way that may be precluded at present," Pistole said.
Passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Patriot Act expanded the government's powers to surveil and prosecute suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers.
Critics, however, say the legislation infringes on the basic personal freedoms of U.S. citizens. The House of Representatives renewed the act Tuesday after making minor modifications to curb law enforcement powers that were viewed as too strong.
Pistole singled out Japan's restriction of the wiretapping law to organized crime and drug cases. He said police should have the ability to use wiretaps in terrorism cases as well. He also noted Japan's lack of a plea-bargaining system.
"Some of our best information comes from individuals who have been charged with a crime and might be facing 20, 30, 40 years in prison and decide they want to cooperate," he said.