The economy ministry plans to start testing unmanned ground vehicles on public roads by the end of March next year through cooperation with private-sector companies, hoping to put them into practical use soon. The ministry agreed Monday to establish a public-private council on UGVs. Members ...
Detecting child prostitution an increasingly difficult task, survey suggests
More than half of youths involved in child prostitution last year in the nation's three biggest metropolitan areas showed no signs of delinquency, had no criminal records and attended school regularly, according to a survey by the National Police Agency. The findings suggest it is ...
Atsuyuki Sassa, who served as the first head of Japan's Cabinet Security Affairs Office, died Wednesday at age 87, his family said. Sassa, a native of Tokyo, joined the forerunner of the National Police Agency after graduating from the University of Tokyo. He led the ...
Driver's licenses in Japan to start showing expiration date using Western calendar
Japan's driver's licenses will start to indicate their expiration date using the Western calendar instead of the Japanese calendar, a draft of revised traffic law regulations showed Thursday. The draft, disclosed by the National Police Agency, will also change rules to allow ID photos to ...
Crime in Japan dips to lowest postwar level through first half of 2018
The number of recorded crimes in Japan continued to decrease through the first half of 2018 to a level unseen in the postwar period, mainly due to falling theft rates, preliminary police data showed Thursday. The total number of crimes recorded over the period stood ...
Japan to reinforce police gun holsters to prevent firearm theft
The National Police Agency is accelerating plans to reinforce police officers' gun holsters and safety straps so their firearms cannot be stolen, agency officials said Wednesday. The move comes in the wake of an incident in the city of Toyama the previous day where a ...
Record number of climbers stranded on Japanese mountains in 2017
Police say a boom in the popularity of mountaineering has led many inexperienced climbers to venture into more isolated, challenging terrain.
60,000 elderly drivers in Japan suspected of having dementia during license renewal: police
The revised road traffic law, which requires elderly drivers to see a doctor if dementia is suspected during a preliminary screening, took effect on March 12 last year.
Japanese calling the police more than ever to address nonurgent matters
Police dealt with a record-high number of consultations last year over problems that were not pressing, such as noisy neighbors and graffiti.
Over 90% of Japan's child abuse and sexual crime victims didn't receive compensation: survey
Only a small proportion of those subject to violent crimes knew about available consultation services, and fewer still were able to secure financial assistance to which they were entitled.
Government looks to relax requirements for bus and taxi licenses amid labor crunch
A National Police Agency panel began talks Wednesday to ease eligibility requirements for those looking to take tests for bus and taxi licenses, in response to chronic labor shortages due to Japan's graying workforce. The panel, which includes a university professor familiar with the Penal ...
Police suspect a record 65,431 minors were abused in Japan in 2017
The National Police Agency said a 24.9% rise in psychological abuse contributed to the overall increase.
