Japan enacts law to use GPS trackers for defendants on bail

May 10 (Nikkei) - Japan's parliament enacted a bill Wednesday permitting courts to approve the placing of GPS monitors on suspects to prevent international bail jumping, a move spurred by multiple cases such as the high-profile escape of former Nissan Motor CEO Carlos Ghosn.

It also approved, as part of criminal law reforms, measures to protect the anonymity of alleged victims of sexual and other crimes to protect them from their assailants.

The use of GPS devices, which will begin within five years of the promulgation of the revised law, comes despite some opposition on the basis they are potentially an impingement on privacy. But others argue it may lead to more suspects being granted bail, helping curb excessive periods of detention for which Japan has received criticism.

Ghosn was arrested in 2018 for allegedly underreporting his compensation, but he sensationally jumped bail and fled to Lebanon the following year.

The GPS monitors will be used in cases in which it is feared suspects, such as corporate executives with overseas bases, will flee the country. ...continue reading

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