Japan Police to Study GPS Monitoring of Stalkers

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s National Police Agency said Thursday it will establish an expert panel to study the introduction of GPS tracking devices for stalkers to prevent murders and other serious crimes committed by them.

The panel, whose first meeting is scheduled for Monday, will also discuss whether to mandate counselling and treatment for perpetrators.

The panel will consist of eight members, including university professors who are well-versed in constitutional law and criminal policy, lawyers and counselling experts. A bereaved family member of a woman killed by her stalker in the city of Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, eastern Japan, in 2012 will also serve on the panel.

A possible system would require perpetrators who fail to comply with restraining orders to wear GPS devices, triggering warnings when they come near victims.

According to the NPA, countries including Spain and Germany have systems that monitor stalkers and domestic abusers and allow police to intervene when they come within a specified distance of their victims.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]