Police using facial images from surveillance cameras and social media in criminal probes

The system only requires police to enter facial data such as security camera footage. It then compares the data with database images before displaying multiple mug shots containing similar features including eyes, nose, mouth, and eyebrows.

I PERSONALLY had to sit through some meetings about this so we can see how it works and we all noticed that 11 out of 20 times, the wrong person was identified due to the different angles and fact that some people look alike, some people may have a twin who committed a crime without the other knowing. Luckily this was a simulation test and we got to see how easy it is for people to be wrongly accused due to this system, lives get ruined, jobs lost, families get separated.

And especially in Japan where if the police thinks you did it, then you did it.

If someone did nothing criminal then they have nothing to worry about.

I personally think that the idea is good, but I have absolutely no confidence in the government that they can keep the data safe, that they will actually delete the data after a stated time period, nor from political meddling (like all of a sudden changing the original purpose of the data collection into “surveillance “ etc.).

So I guess this is wrong in Japan only, aren't all countries using this system?

I’d suggest to never trust any official word given by ANY government or police body world wide. It’s the nature of their work. Who’s going to forego a piece of potential evidence in the future? Forget what laws or constitutions say. Go with your gut feelings. Good chance you’ll be right.

This is a huge invasion of privacy. If it is to be done, no private companies should be given any access to the data. It should be guarded with the highest security.

I wouldn't say no to all chikan and other sex offenders going on a database and facial recognition being used against them. It seems like there are plenty of repeat offenders.

Is it possible to check whether or not one is registered within this database?

Why stop with images? I'm sure they will be storing DNA patterns from everyone, if they are not doing so now.

I think nearly everyone would genuinely like Law Enforcement to be able to use all tools necessary to catch real criminals. The near unanimous opposition expressed by other readers before me is because we all fear this could be misused in the future by a more tyrannical regime. I never will commit a traditional crime but fear that one day my voting for the wrong person, or expressing the wrong thoughts on social media, or following the wrong religion, or being friends with someone who gets in trouble of their own, will become criminalized... and these databases created when I did nothing wrong will be used against me at that time.

tbh i think I actually prefer having criminals running around than this. I'd rather live in a wild west movie over an orwell one.

We discard facial images that are found to be unrelated to cases

About 10 million facial images are currently stored in the agency's database

...

@ Mr Kipling

Please think more carefully on the abuses that are able to be carried out under this collection of data-it is a veritable minefield

There aren’t 10 million criminals in Japan so whose information is being stored?

You really think so? According to Japan's own statistics, 2.85 million crimes happen each year. They don't only keep the face of criminals but suspects as well.

If you have ever been the victim of a crime you know had badly you want the perpetrator to be caught and brought to justice. One would hope the police are using every means available to quickly bring about justice. So using these pictures and videos to identify the criminal quicker and help solve a lot of crimes like robberies, murders, rapes and others. But with the camera footage used in the wrong hands could expose things that people want kept secret, like cheating spouses. I guess it is who is more important? The victims of a crime and justice or the possibility of exposing an unfaithful spouse?

Why are you so afraid? What have you done? Your phones and pasmos are tracking your every move. Your photo is taken every time you enter the expressway.

If DNA and finger prints samples were collected from ALL citizens. Burglars and rapists would be so much easier to catch. Facial recognition data bases would also greatly aid law enforcement.

Someone said this would make you guilty at birth.... No it wouldn’t. You would have to commit a crime and be sentenced for it. The collection of samples would only make this easier. Or do you want to make it more difficult to catch rapists and other criminals? Odd.

They are giving the illusion of starting this thing now but they started it ten years ago !! They used me as their unwitting subject. Real evil !!!

This is nothing new. Face book and all these social media sites were used decades ago for the purpose of the FBI for profiling and spying on all the sheeps who are smothering there selfies and family pictures on the the internet like a narcissistic want to be famous. Im glad i was aware of this too long ago and for the last 13+ years, ditched all social medial platforms because I knew it was for profiling too and spying and nothing more.

This combined with Japan's infamous 99% conviction rate and habitual use if forced confessions is extremely disconcerting.

I'd have no problem with this if they just went after the pervs, murderers, rapists and thugs, but using this to go after someone who smoked or bought a joint in Shibuya wouldn't be worth the cost of the software.

This is frankly very disturbing,a fake democracy turned in a state police.

I’m so sure that many foreigners that have been living in Japan for long time now regret their choice.

The world is trying to go forward but in some countries they want to revert to the past,and this is scary.

But this is also fault to their sheep minded mentality,Japanese people in the majority still think that politics or human and civil rights are not their business and their lords should take care of such things without even questioning their actions.

To hell with the "civil liberties" whiners.

If we go to Hell we rest assured you will be joining us shortly after.

"We are using the system only for criminal investigations and within the scope of law.

And just how much is this even covered in law compared to say, the Constitution? NPA folks tend to focus on the letter of the law rather than their foundation. Same with most people in any police agency. They are dangerous people and need to be kept on a tight leash held by other people who are most unlike them. With them, the scope of the law expands to the heart's desire and so does the definition and scope of a criminal investigation.

And personally I think there is a whole bunch of cell phone tracking they have been hiding for years and never mind this system they supposedly have only been using for months. Many times I have seen cases where the apprehension of suspects just did not seem realistic according to NPA or media explanation.

How can i put this........well I will just say it I DO NOT trust prosecutors or police at all!! In the 30yrs here I have seen so many cases of abuse of power, falsification of evidence by BOTH these groups, then when you toss in SPINELESS ""judges"" & forced confessions......

Collecting data on peoples images, what could possibly go wrong........PLENTY THATS WHAT!!

> "We are using the system only for criminal investigations and within the scope of law.

These means they can do whatever to WHOEVER they want on a whim as laws are so vague & open to interpretation they have NO RESTRICTIONS!!!

Welcome to the new China folks!

Good way to trace no citizens! The Japanese government will find this unconstitutional for Japanese, but keep it to trace “NON CITIZENS”.

They have our fingerprints and photos from every time we enter the country. This was also supposed to be adopted for all residents of Japan, but was found to be unconstitutional for Japanese citizens. The ‘Resident Cart’ was also supposed to for all residents for Japan, but was also found to be unconstitutional for Japanese citizens.

A very common pattern happening.

@Mr Kipling: what a great idea! So everyone is guilty until they are found innocent?

But why do we stope there? By your logic, we should incarcerate everyone when they are born until they are found innocent. Then we should send everyone to educational camps. How sweet is that.

Just like the illegal GPS tracking we have seen in the past this will be abused in the name of the law.

Good for Japan! I would also support taking DNA samples at birth to keep on a registry along with finger prints. After a generation, the job of the police would be so much easier.

Crime victims have civil rights too... not only criminals.

Everything to keep the crime rate going down is a great thing. Good for Japan. To hell with the "civil liberties" whiners.

Chinese government does this, now other countries are following this too.

Japan's police and justice system really isn't that much different

that the system could turn the country into a surveillance society unless it is operated under strict rules.

Chinese government does this, now other countries are following this too.

We discard facial images that are found to be unrelated to cases,"

Facial images are being discard but how about the whole image, what they do about that?

There aren’t 10 million criminals in Japan so whose information is being stored?