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107 total results found

25 non-duplicate results found.

Author: Japan. Ministry of Justice

Title: White Paper on Crime: 2007: The Circumstances and Attributes of Repeat Offenders and Countermeasures to Recidivism

Summary: This report reveals the importance of countermeasures against repeat offenders and the recent trends in repeat offenses mainly through analysis of criminal records/statistical data and takes an overview of the actual circumstances of repeat offenders from various points of view, such as the offense, age, sentencing and attributes.

Details: Tokyo: 2007

Source:

Year: 2007

Country: Japan

Keywords: Offenders

Shelf Number: 117045


Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare

Title: Fatal Flaw: The Inadequacies of Japan's Ivory Trade Controls

Summary: This report examines Japan's ivory trade control system, particularly in regard to the illegal trade in ivory.

Details: Yarmouth Port, MA: IFAW, 2007. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2007

Country: Japan

Keywords: Illegal Trade, Ivory

Shelf Number: 119112


Author: Japan. National Police Agency. Drugs and Firearms Division

Title: Drug Control in Japan 2009

Summary: This report provides an overview of the drug situation in Japan, including laws to control abused drugs.

Details: Tokyo: National Police Agency, 2009. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2010 at: http://www.npa.go.jp/english/yakujyu/Drug%20Control%20in%20Japan%202009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Japan

Keywords: Drug Control

Shelf Number: 119805


Author: Ishihara, Akiko

Title: The State of Wildlife Trade in Japan

Summary: The State of Wildlife Trade in Japan analyses the significance of Japan’s trade in wild animal and plant species and their products, reviews this trade in the light of national and international regulations and provides critical insights into the nature of Japan’s impact on global biodiversity. It provides, among other things, explanations of the current trends in topical issues involving Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, and the often-illegal trade in reptiles as pets, while highlighting the importance of sustainable use of medicinal plants, an issue closely related to the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Details: Tokyo: TRAFFIC East Asia-Japan, 2010. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2010 at: www.traffic.org/general-reports/traffic_pub_gen38.pdf


Year: 2010

Country: Japan

Keywords: Illegal Trade

Shelf Number: 120007


Author: Kutsuzawa, Ryuji

Title: The Impact of Crime on Housing Land Prices and the Effects of Police Boxes and Voluntary Groups on Crime Prevention in Japan

Summary: Many people now fear crime in Japan, which has had the image of being a safe country, because the crime rate has increased dramatically and the rate of crime detection has decreased at the same time. As demand for low-crime residential areas becomes stronger, low-crime rates may affect land prices in Japan. High levels of land prices may reflect the high economic value of low-crime neighborhoods. However, the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) estimate may cause a bias because the crime rate is not necessarily an exogenous determinant of land price. Therefore, in this study, we adopt the instrumental variable (IV) method, and use instrumental variables such as distance from police boxes and existence of voluntary anti-crime groups, and analyze the effects of property crime rates on residential land prices. The results show that a 10% decrease in the rate of burglaries causes an average rise in residential land prices of 1%.

Details: Nishinomiya, Japan: School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2010. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper No. 60: Accessed October 21, 2010 at: http://192.218.163.163/RePEc/pdf/kgdp60.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Japan

Keywords: Crime Prevention

Shelf Number: 120041


Author: Sakamoto, Masayuki

Title: Black and Grey - Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets - 2nd edition

Summary: The second edition of ‘Black and Grey’ -Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets, brings to the readers the fundamental failures in policies regarding ivory trade in Japan. This is an improvised version of the first edition and carries the same contents as the former. The objective of printing the second edition is to protect the endangered wild elephant species of the world by letting the policy makers and dignitaries of the 50th CITES standing committee know the exact situation in the Japanese ivory market. This report also analysis the domestic trade control of ivory in Japan with some interesting facts including smuggling of illegal ivory.

Details: Tokyo: Japanese Wildlife Conservation Society, 2004. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2011 at: http://www.jwcs.org/data/Black_and_Grey_2nd_edition.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: Japan

Keywords: Illegal Trade (Japan)

Shelf Number: 121746


Author: Sakamoto, Masayuki

Title: Black and Grey: Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets

Summary: This report - Black and Grey - Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets - takes a critical look at illegal ivory markets in Japan and argues that Japan’s domestic controls on the ivory trade are far from being adequate to ensure such trade does not threaten the elephant species. The Japanese ivory market has two faces. The first face is the “Black” market. Weak Japanese domestic trade control allows ivory acquired from illegal sources to be broadly distributed. The second face is the “Grey” market. “Legal” ivory in trade that is inevitably used as a cover for illegal sources of ivory to make their way to the market. The principal question that the report is trying to answer is: “Do domestic controls on ivory in Japan provide precautionary measures sufficient to ensure trades now proposed by the southern African countries do not accelerate poaching and increase illegal ivory in trade?”

Details: Tokyo: Japan Wildlife Conservation Society, 2002. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.jwcs.org/data/030107blaclandgrey.pdf

Year: 2002

Country: Japan

Keywords: Illegal Ivory (Japan)

Shelf Number: 121975


Author: Aoki, Yu

Title: Does schooling reduce juvenile delinquency? Evidence from a natural experiment in Japan

Summary: Individual returns to schooling have been examined intensively but social returns to schooling have received less attention. If schooling yields not only individual returns but also social returns – such as a reduction in crime – then the rationale for policies which encourage individual investments in schooling is strengthened. In this paper, we explore the effect of schooling on juvenile delinquency. To address endogeneity of schooling, we use exogenous variation in schooling caused by a policy intervention in specific municipalities after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which occurred in the Midwestern part of Japan in 1995. Using the Instrumental Variable estimator, our results indicate that higher school attainment significantly reduces both violent and property crimes comitted by youth. The negative impact of schooling supports a theoretical prediction that more education reduces crimes through a higher opportunity cost of committing crimes.

Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2011. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at http://www.eea-esem.com/files/papers/EEA-ESEM/2011/2865/Aoki2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Japan

Keywords: Education (Japan)

Shelf Number: 124526


Author: Government of Japan. Ministry of the Environment

Title: Japan's Green Purchasing Policy: Tackling Illegal Logging

Summary: The issue of illegal logging was discussed at the 2005 G8 Summit held in Gleneagles, U.K. and a statement was issued saying, "We will encourage, adopt or extend public timber procurement policies that favour legal timber." On the above occasion, the Japanese Government expressed its intention to "introduce a government procurement policy favouring wood and wood product that have been harvested in a legal and sustainable manner, in accordance with the Green Purchasing Law." The Ministry of Environment of Japan subsequently discussed making the necessary adjustments with the Japanese Forestry Agency to include "illegal wood" in the items designated for preferential purchase by the Japanese Government under the Green Purchasing Law and drew up a draft "Basic Policy for the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services," which was decided at a Cabinet meeting in February 2006. Measures to promote the procurement of wood and wood products with verified legality and sustainability, based on the about Basic Policy, have been implemented since April 2006. This booklet has been prepared by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment for the purpose of introducing the activities of the Japanese Government to address the issue of illegal logging to governments and other organizations of related countries.

Details: Tokyo: Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, 2007. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at http://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/forest/pamph_jgpp.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Japan

Keywords: Forest Management (Japan)

Shelf Number: 126021


Author: Hevamange, Veyoma

Title: Global Monitoring Status of Action Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Japan. 2nd Edition

Summary: The Agenda for Action against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children provides a detailed framework and categories of actions to be taken by governments in partnership with civil society organizations and other relevant actors for combating commercial sexual crimes against children. Broadly, these actions are focused on: 1) Coordination and Cooperation; 2) Prevention; 3) Protection; 4) Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reintegration; and 5) Child Participation. The Agenda for Action is thus the formal and guiding structure used by governments that have adopted it and committed to work against CSEC. As such, the Agenda for Action is also the main organising framework for reporting on the status of implementation of the Agenda as seen in the World Congress II of 2001, the Mid-Term Review meetings held between 2004 and 2005 and the World Congress III in 2008. It has been used in the same way to structure and guide the research, analysis and preparation of information presented in these reports on the status of implementation of the Agenda in the individual countries. Preparatory work for this 2nd Edition report involved a review of the literature available on sexual exploitation for each of the countries where ECPAT works. A number of tools were prepared, such as a detailed glossary of CSEC terms, explanatory literature on more difficult themes and concepts and a guide to relevant CSEC related research tools, to assist researchers in their work and to ensure consistency in the gathering, interpreting and analysing of information from different sources and parts of the world. Desktop research has shown a continuing lack of information in the areas of Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reintegration. After extensive efforts to collect information relevant to these areas for each of the countries covered, it was decided that as this information was not consistently available, the reports thus focus only on those areas of the Agenda for Action where verifiable information can be obtained. Thus, the report covers: Coordination and Cooperation; Prevention; Protection and Child and Youth Participation, and where information on recovery, rehabilitaton and reintegration, was available, it has been included under the country overview. These 2nd Edition Reports also reflect a greater focus on integrated and inter-sector collaboration for the realisation of the right of the child to protection from sexual exploitation, including the need nationally for comprehensive child protection systems.

Details: Bangkok: ECPAT International, 2011. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2012 at: http://ecpat.net/EI/Pdf/A4A_II/A4A2011_EAP_Japan_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Japan

Keywords: Child Prostitution

Shelf Number: 126550


Author: Sawanobori, Bunji

Title: Industry participation in the correctional mandate in Japan: The case of the Shin-Kurushima Dockyard

Summary: The Shin-Kurushima Dockyard is a working shipyard in Ehime prefecture, Japan, which has offered vocational training and experience free of charge to prisoners from Matsuyama prison for over 50 years. It also offers accommodation on the same premises, again free of charge. Prisoners who live and work at the Dockyard are normally granted early release from imprisonment, at about sixty per cent completion of their sentence on average, and their recidivism rate is low in comparison with Japan's average: zero per cent for the last 5 years and 15 per cent for about 30 years from its establishment in 1961 until 1992. This paper explores the participation of the Shin-Kurushima Dockyard in the Japanese criminal justice system, looking at the origins of the project, the dynamics between the prisoners and the local community, and the way that the prisoners live in comparison with mainstream Japanese prisons. The paper also compares statistics on the parole and recidivism rates of Dockyard prisoners with mainstream prisoners. The paper concludes with the observation that access to meaningful work and being treated with dignity and respect have been key to the success of the Shin-Kurushima Dockyard in the criminal justice system.

Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2014. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Howard League What is Justice? Working Papers 13/2014: Accessed November 26, 2014 at: https://d19ylpo4aovc7m.cloudfront.net/fileadmin/howard_league/user/pdf/Research/What_is_Justice/HLWP_13_2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Japan

Keywords: Prisoner Rehabilitation

Shelf Number: 134260


Author: Ramseyer, J. Mark

Title: Nuclear Power and the Mob: Extortion and Social Capital in Japan

Summary: Nuclear reactors entail massive non-transferrable site-specific investments. The resulting appropriable quasi-rents offer the mob the ideal target. In exchange for large fees, it can either promise to "protect" the utility (and silence the reactor's local opponents) or "extort" from it (and desist from inciting local opponents). Using municipality-level (1742 cities, towns, villages) and prefecture-level (47) Japanese panel data covering the years from 1980 to 2010, I find exactly this phenomenon: when a utility announces plans to build a reactor, the level of extortion climbs. Reactors have broad-ranging effects on social capital as well. In general, the perceived health costs to nuclear power are highest for young families. As a result, if a utility announces plans for a new reactor, these families disappear. Yet these are the men and women who invest most heavily in the social capital that keeps communities intact. When they disappear, reliance on government subsidies increases, and divorce rates rise. Firms stay away, and unemployment climbs.

Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School, 2015. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Harvard Law School John M. Olin Center Discussion Paper No. 817 : accessed April 22, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2587276

Year: 2015

Country: Japan

Keywords: Extortion

Shelf Number: 135362


Author: Human Rights Watch

Title: "The Nail That Sticks Out Gets Hammered Down": LGBT Bullying and Exclusion in Japanese Schools

Summary: School bullying is a notorious problem in Japan. Students target peers they perceive to be different with harassment, threats, and sometimes violence - including by singling them out based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The Japanese government compounds and even fuels this problem by promoting social conformity and a climate of "harmony" in schools, and by insisting that no student is more vulnerable to bullying than any other. In doing so, it fails to address the vulnerabilities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. Based on more than 100 in-depth interviews with sexual and gender minority youth and Japanese education experts, "The Nail That Sticks Out Gets Hammered Down" examines the shortcomings in Japanese policies that expose LGBT students to bullying and inhibit their access to information and self-expression. Lack of comprehensive sex education, silence on LGBT topics in the national curriculum, and inadequate teacher training on sexual orientation and gender identity all contribute to LGBT students' vulnerabilities. Policies that require transgender people to obtain a diagnosis of gender identity disorder as a first step toward gaining legal recognition are harmfully rigid and discriminatory, and can have a particularly harsh impact on youth. While Japan's education ministry has taken positive steps in recent years to recognize, understand, and protect LGBT students, further action is needed to develop specific policies to address bullying. As the public debate on LGBT rights in Japan gains momentum around same-sex marriage and employment non-discrimination, the government has an opportunity to bring its policies in line with its international human rights commitments, including the right to education free from discrimination for all children.

Details: New York: HRW, 2016. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/japan0516web.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Japan

Keywords: Bias Crimes

Shelf Number: 139337


Author: Sato, Mai

Title: The Public Opinion Myth: Why Japan retains the death penalty

Summary: There is a global trend away from the death penalty. As of June 2015, 160 countries have abolished it in law or in practice. In 2014, a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an international moratorium on the death penalty was supported by a record 117 member states. This tendency is explained by increasing empirical evidence concerning wrongful convictions, the growing academic consensus over the difficulty in proving deterrent effects, and data that shows the death penalty being applied disproportionately to marginalised groups. In some societies, however, the death penalty remains deeply entrenched. Many leaders prefer to follow tradition and 'majority opinion' rather than challenge opinion and exercise leadership. They often quote results from public opinion polls and use the 'democracy argument'. In this report, Mai Sato and Paul Bacon go beyond the simple results of opinion polls conducted recently by the Japanese government, which show very high levels of support for the death penalty. Using a similar methodology and sample, the authors reveal that the majority of the population form their views on the death penalty with limited information and based on often inaccurate perceptions - for example, believing that the crime rate is increasing. Sato and Bacon also demonstrate that people have a relatively low level of 'psychological ownership' when it comes to the future of the death penalty: the majority think that the government and experts should decide. Furthermore, discussions about the death penalty among participants increased tolerance towards those with different views - which, in turn, facilitated potential reform and change. The messages in this report go beyond the death penalty debate in Japan. The keys to moving away from the death penalty in all retentionist states are better information and dialogue. Instead of resorting to the populist politics of 'killing for votes', leaders should be challenging stereotypes. Instead of being 'tough on crime' by supporting the death penalty, they should be providing for efficient crime control measures, combined with care for victims' families. Is this too much to ask? No - not in the 21st century, which is ready for further advances in the protection of human rights. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated: 'This cruel punishment has no place in the 21st century.'

Details: London: Death Penalty Project, 2015. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2016 at: http://www.deathpenaltyproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/The-Public-Opinion-Myth1.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Japan

Keywords: Capital Punishment

Shelf Number: 139620


Author: L'Aurora, Marika

Title: "1992-2012: Laws' implementation on one side and changes on yakuza's organizations on the other." -What has been going on?-

Summary: In the postwar period, developments and changes, among the others, occurred also within yakuza organizations. On both levels, local and international, different reasons lead to the decision of taking action against the organized crime. Due to local factors, mostly a deeper involvement of the citizens in gang related activities, implying more danger in the daily life; and due to international factors, mainly the union of the 'democratized countries' against the fight of organized crime, with particular reference to drug related offences, Japan moved for the first time in a serious way against yakuza. In 1992 The Botaiho, or 'Anti-bryokudan law', law No. 77 was implemented. Together with the anti- boryokudan law, through the years, other laws have been improved, or enacted, with the purpose of controlling, or confining yakuza activities out of the Japanese society. The most recent is the introduction of prefectural ordinances: these, carrying the same purpose of isolating boryokudan - in "boryokudan members" through the ban of their commercial relations with the societies' members. Looking at yakuza activities and developments during the twenty years between the first anti-boryokudan law enforcement (1992) and the recent enactment of the prefectural ordinances (2012), did the laws do what they were supposed to? Have the goals that the laws were aimed at been realized?

Details: Leiden: Leiden University, Asian Studies, 2015. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/36069/MA%20Thesis_%20L%27Aurora%20Marika.pdf?sequence=2

Year: 2015

Country: Japan

Keywords: Gangs

Shelf Number: 140664


Author: Environmental Investigation Agency

Title: The Dirty Secrets of Japan's Illegal Ivory Trade

Summary: EIA's report, The Dirty Secrets of Japan's Illegal Ivory Trade, reveal a 20-year history of broken commitments by Japan to enact effective controls to prevent poached tusks from being sold domestically or for illegal export. The report follows shocking new elephant census data revealing a 30% decline from 2007 to 2014 in populations in 15 of 18 African nations surveyed. This amounts to an unsustainable 8% annual decline, which threatens the species’ long term survival. The report reveals: • The identities of four Japanese ivory companies that admitted to undercover EIA investigators to conducting daily ivory sales to Chinese buyers and boasted of the vast amounts of ivory being illegally exported to China and Hong Kong • Thirty of 37 Japanese ivory traders contacted by an undercover investigator offered to engage in some form of illegal activity to buy, sell, or fraudulently register a tusk that did not qualify for registration • That most of Japan’s ivory tusk imports dating from before the 1989 ban on international trade in elephant ivory were from poached elephants. As a result, the government's tusk registration scheme is effectively a tool for granting amnesty to large quantities of pre-1989 poached ivory • An influential report by the wildlife trade monitoring group, TRAFFIC, supporting Japan’s 1997 bid to reopen ivory trade found that Japan could not control ivory trade, but the conclusions were changed and supported Japan's successful bid to reopen ivory trade

Details: Washington, DC: EIA, 2016. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/environmental-investigation-agency/assets/2016/09/dirty_secrets_of_japans_illegal_ivory_trade/Japans_Dirty_Secret_English.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Japan

Keywords: Animal Poaching

Shelf Number: 141186


Author: Kitade, Tomomi

Title: Setting Suns: The Historical Decline of Ivory and Rhino Horn Markets in Japan

Summary: Japan was formerly recognized as one of the world's largest end-use markets for wildlife products, particularly during the height of the national economic boom which lasted throughout the mid-1970s and 1980s. Wildlife products traded to Japan at the time were extensive and wide-ranging, and included everything from animal fur and leather for fashion, exotic animals for pets and zoos, to taxidermy specimens, raw materials for traditional medicine and other traditional manufacturing industries. Rhino horn and elephant ivory, arguably the two symbols of the current illegal wildlife trade crisis, were also traded to Japan in massive quantities until 1980 and 1989, respectively, when international trade bans were introduced pursuant to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For a time Japan ranked as the world's largest consumer of both rhino horn and elephant ivory, but the market for these products declined significantly over the years, to a point where only a small fraction of the former domestic market remains significant today. This research sheds light on Japan's wildlife trade history as a case study on the contributing factors that helped reduce the market for rhino horn and elephant ivory. By conducting comprehensive research into these phenomena, this report aims to elucidate the circumstances and drivers for change, in the hope that it may provide useful understanding for the contemporary context in other Asian markets facing problems with wildlife trade. Additionally, this study critically reviewed the status of the current domestic market and regulations to amplify where Japan stands today in terms of the historical and global context and provides recommendations for addressing current issues in Japan, especially in light of severe contemporary global levels of illegal wildlife trade. Because of the holistic approach taken and the historical knowledge required for this study, information was collected and analysed from a wide range of sources. In terms of literature, sources in the Japanese language were especially utilized, including the database of National Diet records and national newspaper archives. Various data relating to trade, production, and socio-economic status, as well as records associated with regulatory schemes, were obtained from many sources including the Japanese government, domestic industry associations, and CITES-related databases (i.e. the CITES Trade Database and the Elephant Trade Information System). Furthermore, critical insights were gathered through a series of stakeholder/expert interviews, especially with industry members who were directly part of the process. Finally, an original consumer survey was conducted in 2014 to gain further understanding of consumer perspectives.

Details: Tokyo: TRAFFIC, 2016. 98p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27206498/1471958568780/Setting-Suns.pdf?token=iK9lvHqwDHu3w2iwtGE8GQiz5pg%3D

Year: 2016

Country: Japan

Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade

Shelf Number: 148904


Author: Kitade, Tomomi

Title: Ivory Towers: An Assessment of Japan's Ivory Trade and Domestic Market

Summary: The 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held in September and October 2016 recommended the closure of domestic ivory markets that are contributing to poaching or illegal trade as a matter of urgency (CITES, 2016). Faced with the worst elephant poaching crisis in three decades, countries and territories with major ivory markets such as China, Hong Kong, and the US have introduced plans, which are currently at different stages of implementation, to ban significant aspects of domestic ivory trade, while other countries, such as Thailand, are introducing and the UK is proposing stricter measures to curtail domestic ivory trade (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2017; Kramer et al., 2017; Krishnasamy et al., 2016; TRAFFIC, 2016, 2017e). Japan remains home to one of the largest domestic ivory markets in the world, and possesses an active, albeit shrinking, ivory manufacturing industry. Although the market has declined significantly over the past decades (Kitade and Toko, 2016; Vigne and Martin, 2010), a substantial but undefined amount of pre-Convention stock of ivory tusks is held in private ownership for noncommercial purposes, a cultural legacy of the countrys past ivory trade. Increasingly, owners of such ivory are disposing of it, resulting in some 10 t of such stock being newly registered1 for legal trade each year (Kitade and Toko, 2016). Despite the large stockpiles and the existence of a legal domestic ivory market, the recent analysis of the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) for CoP17 concluded that the ETIS data do not provide any recent evidence that Japan is a destination for the significant illegal ivory flows presently leaving Africa. The ETIS analysis did, however, highlight the problem of on-going illegal export to China, domestic illegal trade, and persistent regulatory loopholes in Japan (Milliken et al., 2016). A recent study of online ivory trade in Japan further emphasized the high level of unregulated online trade (Kitade, 2017). Concerns about the status of Japans ivory market led to a proposal by certain African countries to reconsider the CITES Standing Committee (SC)s decision not to include Japan in the National Ivory Action Plan (NIAP) process at its 69th meeting (SC69) held in November 2017 (CITES, 2017b). As a consequence, the decision was not reconsidered at SC69, but Japan was requested to report to the next SC (CITES, 2017a). This study presents a detailed assessment of Japans international ivory trade and its domestic market, with a focus on antiques and tourist market outlets. This evaluation of the current status of Japans domestic market is warranted and timely: firstly, because ivory trade in the antiques sector seems to have received the least government oversight historically; and secondly, Japans tourism sector is reshaping around rapidly increasing numbers of foreign visitors, hitting a record high of 24 million in 2016. The majority of this tourist influx is coming from East Asia (Japan National Tourism Organization, 2017), where major ivory demand centres exist and domestic ivory markets are constricting progressively. This study integrated information from a variety of sources with analyses conducted on: Japans current regulatory scheme and the status of controls, seizure records held in the ETIS database and other seizure reports, CITES trade data, as well as published cases of domestic illegal trade. Surveys were conducted in physical ivory markets, and physical and online auction platforms between May and September 2017, while antiques dealers as buyers of privately owned ivory were also interviewed during the same period. In terms of strengthening of the regulation of Japans domestic ivory market, the scheduled reform of the Law for the Conservation of Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora (LCES) was conducted in June 2017, with an expected entry into effect no later than 1 June 2018. However, TRAFFICs evaluation found the proposed changes to be limited in terms of coverage and effect. Whilst the proposed reforms strengthened regulatory control over ivory businesses, critical loopholes in the law remain, including the issue of unquantified domestic stocks of whole ivory tusks and the lack of compulsory mechanisms to ensure legality of products in the market. The Ministry of Environment (MOE) launched a campaign in August 2017 to promote voluntary registration of whole ivory tusks in personal possession, but without mandatory registrations and an effective and traceable marking system this move is unlikely to address the problem of illegal ivory export of such specimens from Japan. A review of seizure records revealed an increase in illegal ivory exports from Japan, especially from 2011 onwards. A total of over 2.42 t of ivory were seized as illegal exports from Japan, mostly by Chinese law enforcement authorities, between 2011 and 2016, comprising of 1.66 t of raw ivory and 764 kg of worked ivory. In contrast, seizures concerning illegal imports totalled only 7 kg of raw ivory and 36 kg of worked ivory. A very low number of seizures were actually made by Japanese authorities (only 22 cases over the six-year period 20112016). Overall, the illegal ivory trade activities captured in the ETIS data indicated a one-way trend in which ivory commodities were illegally exported from Japan to China, representing 95% of all illegal export by weight. The involvement of transnational criminal networks in the smuggling of ivory out of Japan is now clearly evident, for example, the case surrounding the seizure of 804.4 kg of ivory in 2015 which led to 16 arrests by the Beijing Forest Police (TRAFFIC, 2015a). Japanese online platforms were further found to be exploited for purchasing worked ivory products, with the most recent seizure made by Chinas Customs authority in 2016 involving 1,639 pieces of worked ivory and carved tusks, weighing 101.4 kg in total; these products were reportedly purchased from Japanese e-commerce sites and exported illegally to China (Changcheng Web, 2016). At the same time, the trend in CITES-reported trade did not show an increase in legal ivory re-exports from Japan in recent years, in contrast to the rising trend in such re-export incidents detected for the EU and the UK (Lau et al., 2016), suggesting further that Japans ivory export is likely happening largely through illegal trade routes and not with the benefit of CITES documentations. Reviewing domestic illegal trade cases for this report highlighted serious issues with the illegal trade in unregistered tusks. Two of the most recent cases, in June and August 2017, exposed regular purchasing of a large number of privately-held unregistered tusks by major antiques companies, involving 39 suspects and 27 tusks seized in total (TRAFFIC, 2017b; WWF Japan, 2017b). These acts underscored gaps in law enforcement effectiveness despite the stricter penalties that were introduced in 2013 (TRAFFIC, 2013) and lax government oversight considering that both of these companies had notified the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade (METI) of their engagement in the ivory trade as required by law. The lack of judicial and investigative follow-through for domestic illegal trade cases was also evident, for example, the two illegal ivory trade cases that occurred in 2017 have both ended in non-prosecution and were not followed by background investigation to clarify any links to international illegal trade (WWF Japan, 2017b).

Details: Tokyo, JAPAN: TRAFFIC, 2017. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27783873/1513850111987/TRAFFIC+report_Ivory+Towers_web.pdf?token=nnsnMEGMCcXVpJyE0I4l1RoU71c%3D

Year: 2017

Country: Japan

Keywords: Animal Poaching

Shelf Number: 148960


Author: Japan. Ministry of Justice

Title: White Paper on Crime 2016

Summary: 1. Original White Paper on Crime - This White Paper is a summary and translated version of an annual publication of the Ministry of Justice, Japan, the "White Paper on Crime" 2016 (original text is in Japanese). Translations in this Paper are tentative and are to be considered solely as reference. For more statistics and further details, refer to the original Japanese version. 2. Data Sources - Statistics, Tables, Figures and other information presented in the White Paper on Crime are mainly provided by the respective bureaus/departments of the Ministry of Justice. Statistics and data are also obtained from various research or surveys conducted by relevant agencies, as well as the following official statistics. Criminal Statistics of the National Police Agency (Criminal Investigation Bureau, National Police Agency) Annual Report of Statistics on Prosecution (Judicial System Department, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Justice) Annual Report of Judicial Statistics (General Secretariat, the Supreme Court) Annual Report of Statistics on Correction (Judicial System Department, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Justice) Annual Report of Statistics on Rehabilitation (Judicial System Department, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Justice) "Population Census" and "Population Estimates" (both referred as "Population Data") ( Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) 3. Others - (1) The statistical data up to May 14, 1972, do not include the data for Okinawa Prefecture (2) Unless otherwise indicated, the names of ministries and agencies referred to in this White Paper are based on the changes made in January 2001 by the reorganization of ministries and agencies of the Government. 4. Coverage of statistical materials - Data in this Paper are based on statistical materials available by the end of July 2016. Unless otherwise indicated, the most recent annual figure is of the year 2015. Any corrections made on the data offered or publicized by relevant agencies will be reflected in subsequent editions of this Paper if it deemed necessary.

Details: Tokyo: Ministry of Justice, 2016. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2018 at: http://hakusyo1.moj.go.jp/en/65/nfm/mokuji.html

Year: 2016

Country: Japan

Keywords: Crime Statistics

Shelf Number: 149073


Author: Verite

Title: Forced Labor Risk in Japan's Technical Intern Training Program: Exploration of Indicators among Chinese Trainees Seeking Remedy

Summary: Japan's Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) attracts hundreds of thousands of workers each year, primarily from other Asian countries. In 2017, the top five sending countries for TITP trainees were Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. Past research and reporting has indicated the presence of many intermediaries that a trainee must engage with in order to secure a position in the TITP program, and that trainees are often subjected to a combination of high recruitment fees resulting in debt and a lack of transparency regarding working and living conditions. In general, as has been widely documented by Verite and others, the process of international labor recruitment via the use of third party intermediaries can heighten migrant worker vulnerability to forced labor and human trafficking. Stakeholders focusing on mega-sporting events in particular have noted that the increased attention on Japan leading up to and during the 2020 Olympics presents an opportunity to highlight the role that TITP trainees play in the Japanese labor economy and to reflect on the widely reported experiences of exploitation for foreign workers associated with the program. From 2015 to 2017 Verite had the opportunity to collect and analyze testimonies of Chinese trainees in the TITP program who had submitted complaints to a local migrant advocacy organization. The respondents were primarily women employed at small and medium enterprises, and all had reported experiencing some degree of exploitation during their time in the TITP program. This exploration of previously documented labor violations among Chinese trainees was designed to provide an in-depth look at the experiences of trainees self-reporting problems in the program, as well as an analysis of potential vulnerability to specific indicators of forced labor. The findings herein are offered as a contribution to the understanding of the nature of exploitation in the TITP program where it occurs; and to help inform targeted interventions by government, business, and civil society in seeking to remedy exploitation experienced by trainees and prevent further abuse.

Details: Amherst, MA: Verite, 2018. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2018 at: https://www.verite.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Forced-Labor-Risk-in-Japans-TITP.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Japan

Keywords: Forced Labor

Shelf Number: 151255


Author: TRAFFIC

Title: System Error, Reboot Required: Review of On-line Ivory Trade in Japan

Summary: KEY POINTS: In June and July 2018, TRAFFIC conducted an extended survey of online elephant ivory trade in Japan to track changes in trade and compliance patterns since 2017, particularly in response to: 1) voluntary ivory bans on major platforms, Rakuten-Ichiba, Rakuma and Mercari in 2017; and 2) new domestic regulations introduced in June 2018. - Yahoo Japan now remains the single most important provider of online platforms for both BtoC (Business to Customer) sales (Yahoo Shopping) and auction trade (Yahoo Auction), which includes CtoC (Customer to Customer) trade. The scale of ivory sales on Yahoo Shopping appeared to be similar to that found in 2017. The total estimated value of ivory transactions on Yahoo Auction over a four-week period was JPY37.8 million (USD340,626), 16% less than estimated in 2017 over a similar time period. - Shops selling ivory were no longer identified on Rakuten-Ichiba. The ivory ban on Mecari and Rakuma has also significantly reduced the number of easily identifiable CtoC advertisements (e.g. 98% reduction on Mercari). However, cryptic advertisements, use of code words, and rapid turnover in ivory products were detected, indicating persistent trade amongst anonymous CtoC users. - A small number of shops/users selling ivory products were also identified on other online shopping malls, an auction site, and public spaces of major social networking sites (SNS) (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram where advertising ivory is supposed to be prohibited internationally). - Compliance with the new domestic regulations by ivory businesses varied across platforms and independent websites. The proportion of unregistered businesses ranged from zero percent on independent hanko shop websites and Yahoo Shopping to twenty-six percent for businesses advertising to purchase ivory online. Non-compliance with the requirement to display business registration was relatively high overall, ranging from twenty-two percent to fifty-two percent. Furthermore, discerning whether the legal requirement applies to the many anonymous sellers on auction, CtoC and SNS platforms presented a serious challenge. - The widespread lack of proof of legal origin persists due to the absence of regulations for products except whole tusks (e.g. on Yahoo Auction just 35 tusks were traded over four weeks as opposed to 4,414 worked products), and illegal trade in tusks without registration cards was still observed on Yahoo Auction (2 out of 35 tusks, six percent). Use of voluntary product certification was sparse amongst online retailers and nearly non-existent on other platforms. - TRAFFIC recommends the government urgently introduce measures that effectively ban unregulated CtoC trade online; that e-commerce companies, especially those hosting unregulated CtoC trade such as Yahoo Auction, introduce a voluntary ban on ivory products and collaborate with industry and NGO partners in the Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online.

Details: Tokyo, Japan: TRAFFIC, 2018. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2018 at: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/11112/system_error-_reboot_required.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Japan

Keywords: Cybercrime

Shelf Number: 151584


Author: TRAFFIC

Title: Slow Progress: A Reassessment of Japan's Ivory Market in 2018

Summary: Key Points - Market surveys conducted by TRAFFIC in 2017 revealed widespread illegal export of ivory from Japan's domestic market and recommended that the Japanese government should urgently address this issue and consider market closure with narrow exemptions, as called for by CITES Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP17). - TRAFFIC conducted a follow-up survey of Japan's physical ivory market and auctions in 2018 to reassess their vulnerability to supplying illegal export after China's ivory trade ban in December 2017 and to track compliance with new domestic regulations introduced in June 2018. - Availability of ivory products declined by nearly half in surveyed indoor antique fairs, possibly as a result of stricter government oversight. It showed a smaller decline in the outdoor antique markets and remained similar in art and antique districts. While it was difficult to characterize the overall market dynamics, certain sellers expressed sentiments towards phasing out of ivory sales due to tightening regulations. - Widespread facilitation of illegal ivory export appeared to have diminished slightly. Though the proportion of interviewed sellers refusing to sell to foreign customers or domestic customers with intention to export increased from 9% to 26% in 2018, a majority still indicated willingness to sell to such customers, going from 73% in 2017 to 60% in 2018. - Newly manufactured ivory products of styles preferred in foreign (e.g Chinese) markets were identified at two new stores targeting foreign visitors in Tokyo's tourist area, one of which just opened in 2018. - Lax domestic regulation was no longer mentioned by sellers as a characteristic of their trade. However, the rate of non-compliance with new regulations (business registration and display of registration information) was high in antique markets and tourist areas where 42% to 83% of sellers did not display registration information. The proportion of apparently unregistered businesses was 31% amongst permanent shops. In contrast, 100% of hanko shops were registered with 95% displaying the registration information. - A reduction was seen in the illegal display of whole tusks (without registration cards), going from 68% in 2017 to 10% in 2018. However, whole tusks comprised less than 0.5% of the over 5,000 ivory items observed during the survey, and proof-of-legality is still not required under the new regulation for all ivory items other than whole tusks. - The number of whole ivory tusks traded at a major auction house declined by over 60% in 2018 compared to 2017 with all of them legally advertised; however, trade in tusks at other outlets was not assessed in this survey. - TRAFFIC recommends that the Japanese government: 1) urgently introduce the specific policy, legislative and regulatory measures previously recommended in TRAFFIC's 2017 report to ensure its market does not contribute to poaching or illegal trade; and 2) further increase enforcement efforts to deter illegal export and effectively implement the new regulations. - TRAFFIC also recommends that the CITES Standing Committee considers the case for Japan's inclusion in the National Ivory Action Plan (NIAP) process to evaluate and monitor its actions and progress against the conditions set out in Resolution Conf.10.10 (Rev. CoP17).

Details: Tokyo, Japan, TRAFFIC, 2018. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2018 at: https://www.traffic.org/publications/reports/japans-domestic-ivory-market/

Year: 2018

Country: Japan

Keywords: Environmental Crime

Shelf Number: 152848


Author: Kitade, Tomomi

Title: Otter Alert: A Rapid Assessment of Illegal Trade and Booming Demand in Japan

Summary: The surging demand for otters in Japan has led to an increase in smuggling of the animals from Southeast Asia and a rise in instances of unregulated domestic otter trade, according to the new TRAFFIC and WWF joint study Otter Alert: A rapid assessment of illegal trade and booming demand in Japan. In 2016 and 2017, at least 39, mostly juvenile Small-clawed Otters Aonyx cinereus were seized in five incidents, all destined for Japan. In each case, Thailand was the source country and Japanese nationals were arrested for the illegal possession and attempted smuggling, says the report. Meanwhile, popular television programmes in Japan have helped boost the profile of the animals. One long-running series television series (Tensai Shimura Dobutsuen, broadcast by Nippon TV) featured the engagement of celebrities with Small-clawed Otters in anthropomorphic situations, such as travelling together and raising them at home. The show likely planted the image of otters with humans (in this case, celebrities), which presumably served to give viewers the impression that otters are more suitable as pets than they really are, write the reports authors. The study identified at least 20 private otter owners with large numbers of social media followers - one of them with more than 750,000 - several of whom said they had purchased the animals after watching TV series about otters. The popularity of otters kept at zoos and aquariums has also evolved into an entertainment event in Japan called the otter election, which took place in 2017 in 2018, with the public voting online for their favourite otters. In recent years there has also been a growth in the number of "otter cafes" in major cities such as Tokyo, where visitors can feed or interact with the animals for a fee. "These owners and the media outlets bear a social responsibility not to encourage the purchase of otters, which may have entered the pet trade under dubious circumstances or even be illegally smuggled into Japan." The reports authors call for action by enforcement authorities and the judiciary to prevent and deter otter smuggling operations, closer monitoring of supposed otter breeding facilities in source countries, and better regulation and monitoring of domestic trade in non-native species both by individuals and zoos, aquariums and other facilities. Mass media companies and private owners on social networking sites should also consider their impact of encouraging demand for exotic pets. An open letter written signed by Dr Nicole Duplaix, Co-Chair, of IUCN - the International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commissions (SSC) Otter Specialist Group, endorses the reports findings and points out that "Otters are small carnivores that do not make suitable pets under any circumstance." Japan has a long-standing global reputation as a major market for exotic pets, where rare and threatened species from various taxa are traded, sometimes illegally. However, their potential impact on the environment can be severe. In Japan, Common Raccoons Procyon lotor, introduced from North America as pets in the 1970s as a result of a popular cartoon series broadcast on national television, became established through escapes and deliberate release into the wild. It resulted in harm to ecosystems and humans, including competition with and predation of native species, damage to agricultural products and buildings and transmission of diseases such as rabies. "During our study we documented instances of unwanted otter pets: there is a clearly a risk such animals may be deliberately released into the environment with unknown, but potentially devastating impact," said Yui. "We urge those thinking of owning an otter to think again."

Details: Japan: Traffic, 2018. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 17, 2018 at: https://www.traffic.org/publications/reports/asian-otters-at-risk-from-illegal-trade-to-meet-booming-demand-in-japan/

Year: 2018

Country: Japan

Keywords: Animal Product

Shelf Number: 153873


Author: Ramseyer, J. Mark

Title: Comfort Women and the Professors

Summary: We in the West have embraced an odd "narrative." The Japanese army of the 1930s and 1940s, we write, forcibly drafted 200,000 mostly Korean teenage girls into "rape camps" called "comfort stations." Should anyone question the story, we summarily consign the person to "denier" status. This makes for a strange phenomenon. Only a few of the comfort women claim to have been forcibly recruited, and several of them had told a different story before the reparations campaign against Japan began. A strongly leftist affiliate runs their nursing home, controls whom they can see, and vilifies any woman who might say anything else. In fact, no one has ever located any documentary evidence that the Japanese military forcibly recruited any Korean woman into a comfort station. And when Korean academics question the orthodox account, their own government sometimes prosecutes them for criminal defamation -- indeed, sent one heterodox professor last fall to six months in prison.

Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School, 2019. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Harvard Law School John M. Olin Center Discussion Paper No. 995: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3349299

Year: 2019

Country: Japan

Keywords: Comfort Women

Shelf Number: 155389


Author: Ryu, Kevin

Title: ECPAT Country Overview: Japan

Summary: Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy and is geographically located in East Asia. 98.5% of its total population is ethnically Japanese. Children (persons under the age of eighteen) represent around 15% of its total population. Japan is the third largest economy in the world. While children are ensured high living standards, these may have deteriorated in numerous ways over time. Japan is a highly consumer-driven society with a big gender gap, two factors that can lead to the sexual exploitation of children (SEC). While children are constantly affected by consumerism and the pressure to make money, a recent deterioration in the gap between the rich and poor has resulted in an increase in child poverty and in children falling victims to sexual exploitation, notably through prostitution. Unfortunately, despite its prevalence, since this business is in a grey area, accurate data are difficult to collect. Japan is also notorious for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This is particularly problematic as Japan is known as a global leader in the technology industry, which results in online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). Moreover, Japan is considered a destination, source, and transit country for sale and trafficking of children for sexual purposes. Many trafficked children are forced into prostitution and production of CSAM. In line with such a trend, sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT) is a significant issue because Japanese nationals are one of the main sources of demand for SECTT in Asia. Lastly, Japanese legislation allows a girl child aged 16 to be married, which is considered child early and forced marriages (CEFM). Fortunately, the government is considering legislative changes to rectify this. In its efforts to tackle SEC, the Japanese government enacted the 1999 Act on the Regulation and Punishment of Acts relating to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and for Protecting Children (revised in 2014) which bans the simple possession of child sexual abuse material. The Act provides certain penalties for crimes of sexual exploitation of children. However, the law does not criminalise 'virtual' child abuse materials and does not penalise the viewing of CSAM. The government is also criticised for allowing many cases concerning child sexual exploitation to be suspended, and for allowing suspects not to be indicted. Furthermore, Japan does not have any explicit provisions criminalising the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism, although it has entered into extradition agreements with the US and South Korea. There is no double criminality requirement in the Japanese legal system. In July 2017, Japan submitted a Voluntary National Review Report on its progress regarding its implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the regional level, Japan is not a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), however, it has made efforts to enhance external relations as well as stability in the region. Since 2002, it has participated annually in the Conference of Investigators on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Southeast Asia. In 2016, it also attended the Sixth Bali Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crimes. Furthermore, Japan has signed agreements with China, Hong Kong, and 27 countries within the European Union enhancing regional and international mutual legal assistance. At the national level, the Cabinet Office of Japan established the Headquarters for Youth Development that is in charge of coordinating and designing both international and national policies on children and youth. It has adopted several national plans of action and strategies in an effort to fight SEC. In 2017, the Cabinet presented the Basic Plan on Measures against Child Sexual Exploitation; in 2016, the government adopted the Third Comprehensive Measures to Eliminate Child Pornography; and in 2014, it formulated the Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons. However, there is no comprehensive body or mechanism responsible for dealing with SECTT. In regards to preventive measures, it appears that the government has established several programmes and councils specifically concerning OCSE. The National Police Agency developed the Child Pornography Advanced Searching System and is closely working with the International Police's (Interpol's) Crimes Against Children Unit through the International Child Sexual Exploitation Database. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications initiated the Study Group on Countermeasures against Illegal/Harmful Information on the Internet in 2005, and the Council on Promotion of Measures to Eliminate Child Pornography was established in 2010. Several domestic laws such as the Civil Code, Civil Procedure Code, and the Administrative Case Litigation Act allow a child or his/her representative to proceed with litigation. Although it is not enough, the Office of the Ombudsperson for Childrens Rights may also provide legal support by investigating complaints. In addition, the Act on Measures Incidental to Criminal Proceedings for Protecting the Rights and Interests of Crime Victims introduces a court-appointed counsellor system. It is mandatory to audio or video record when interviewing a victimised child. Unfortunately, it is alleged that the victims of child sexual exploitation are often treated as juvenile delinquents and stigmatised as a result. Correspondingly, there are only a few staterun recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes in Japan. Mainly, some NGOs such as SACHICO and COLABO provide support to child victims. In terms of access to compensation, children in Japan are often not entitled to compensation. However, the National Police Agency will revise the victim benefit system starting in 2018 specifically to support victims under the age of eighteen. Child participation has increased recently through municipal policies and public movements. The Cabinet Office of Japan recruits youth reporters to collect opinions for them to reflect on when planning and formulating policies. However, in 2016, the Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children and Sexual Exploitation expressed her concern at the lack of involvement of children on the public policies that affect them. The lack of participation from child victims in particular, is striking.

Details: Bangkok: ECPAT International, 2018. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2019 at: https://www.ecpat.org/country-reports/country-overview-japan/

Year: 2018

Country: Japan

Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect

Shelf Number: 155926