The Japanese Government Supports The Use Of CCTV Cameras To Prevent Sexual Harassment Of Children

CCTV illustration. (Unsplash/Alan J. Hendry)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week announced his government's intention to provide subsidies to nursesery and educational institutions for the installation of security cameras or CCTV as a measure to prevent sexual harassment of children.

"However, the government has canceled plans to submit a bill aimed at creating a new system, in order to prevent convicted perpetrators of sexual crimes from child-related jobs during the extraordinary parliamentary session," said Ayuko Kato, minister in charge of child policy, quoted from Kyodo News October 20.

The issue of abuse of children has attracted attention in Japan, following allegations by the late founder of the agency Johnny & Associates Inc., Johnny Kitagawa, sexually abused boys and boys for decades.

The day before the agency changed its name to "Smile-Up" amid the scandal, PM Kishida promised a government meeting to remove sexual crimes and violence against children, which he described as "heavy human rights abuses."

PM Kishida's administration is eager to help nursesery and kindergarten install security cameras, to monitor staff in case of suspicious actions.

Not only that, the government also wants to provide partitions to provide privacy to children when they change clothes, government officials say.

Meanwhile, a bill to establish a system known as the "Japanese DBS", similar to the UK government's Disclosure and Restriction Service certificate, has been criticized by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for its contents.

Several lawmakers at the LDP, led by PM Kishida, argue that the system, which will exclude private schools and child care centers after schools that do not have public scrutiny, will not be effective.

Minister Kato told reporters the government was willing to submit the bill "as soon as possible", either during or after the next parliamentary Diet session which is expected to be held in January.