An expert panel at the Children and Families Agency held its first meeting Tuesday to discuss a system to bar people with criminal records for sex offenses from becoming school teachers and nursery workers.
Under the envisaged system, dubbed the Japanese version of Britain's Disclosure and Barring Service, applicants for jobs involving work with children, such as those at schools and nurseries, would be required to submit certificates showing that they have no record of such offenses.
"Sex crimes are acts that severely violate children's human rights and are absolutely unacceptable," Masanobu Ogura, minister in charge of policies for children, said at the panel meeting. The proposed system "will be important for the safety of children," Ogura said.
The panel comprises 12 members including experts in law and child psychology, as well as local government leaders. It will hold hearings with nurseries, private education operators and former victims of sex crimes.
The agency plans to submit a related bill, possibly as soon as during an extraordinary Diet session expected to be convened this autumn.
Among the issues raised by the envisioned system are how to protect privacy and ensure freedom of choice of occupation.
The expert panel will also discuss whether private companies and groups, such as cram schools and sports clubs, should also be subject to the new system.