Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
New legislation drafted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which went into effect on Tuesday, allows police to track suspects in criminal cases via the electro-magnetic waves emitted by their cell phones.
According to a report on TBS, the new legislation allows police in Japan to request information pertaining to an individual's current location from mobile phone service providers. The providers are able to give accurate readings of the distance between a cell phone and base station.
TBS quoted a ministry spokesperson as saying that the legislation has been amended to address concerns about the leakage of confidential information. Law enforcement agencies will be required to get a warrant to formally request the GPS tracking information from the relevant cell phone service provider.
The legislation is aimed at countering the increase in scams in which someone calls an elderly person, pretending to be a relative in need of money, as well as other money transfer scams.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
Login to comment
ShootandScoot
This is very bad news. Soon they will keeping track of us foreigners. They already have a special book at each koban with our details.
But for sure this system will subject to more abuses than it will do good. Its a large step toward Big Brother. And I knew this would happen when they started near universal installation of GPS devices in cell phones.
Remember everyone, you can block this very easily by wrapping your cell phone in two layers of tin foil. Tin foil also works to block access to the chips they are now putting in driver's licenses.
nath
Wow, i thought they were already doing this. I got nothing to hide, come find me. They already got my address and info. Also if there is an earthquake again, I really want someone to find me. I mean if i do decide to commit a crime (very unlikely as it too much trouble) its easy enough to remedy= toss the phone and get a pre-paid like they do in the movies. lol
Cricky
Next our bikes, then it really will be a matter of concern.
Peter Shaw
The ploice may have only just got permissions to do this, but the various security agencies have been doing so for years
kurisupisu
@Al Stewart-In the case of an earthquake you are on your own.Nobody. except for your friends will come looking for you
NetNinja
Al Stewart, if there's an earthquake no one is going to look for you.
If you haven't learned how to hack your phone you better get on the learning curve real quick. There are ways you can protect yourself always. I was really surprised to learn that people around me don't use proxies. Everybody is just going with the flow.
nath
There was a news article a while back that said that a few people were found buy rescuers because of their FB updates.
ExportExpert
Take the battery out of your phone if you're that concerned or just simply dont use a cell phone at all, it will only affect those who have been upto no good so if you arnt doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about.
Some will say it's an invasion of privacy, so then go live someplace else.
If they really wanted you badly enough the powers that be could track you by satelite and you wouldnt know it, go hide under a rock.
Heath Bagge
ahahahaha you guys are funneh! quickly looks behind shoulder for a skebbeh stalker with gps tracker.... I heard the Foreigner ID cards will have locater chips as well if they do not already...live and let die I say ahehehahehha