The Justice Ministry, concerned about the growing incidence of sex offenses against children, is set to launch a tracking system for convicted sex criminals, perhaps by the end of March. The idea is to try to reduce the possibility of their repeating similar offenses by having them keep the National Police Agency (NPA) informed of their home addresses from the time they are released from prison. The police will be prohibited from disclosing such information.

The system represents a step in the right direction, although details have yet to be worked out. There is serious concern, however, that unless it is strictly managed the system could deter the rehabilitation of released convicts and violate their human rights. That is why justice and police authorities must share only residential information -- excluding all other personal data -- and use it only for internal purposes.

The kidnap-murder of a 7-year-old schoolgirl in Nara City in November has focused attention on the problem of sex-crime recidivism. The accused perpetrator, who was arrested in December, turned out to be a 36-year-old man who had been jailed twice for molesting young girls. The NPA responded quickly, calling for stronger action to address the problem.