Everyday Policing in Japan: Surveillance, Media, Government and Public Opinion

The purpose of this article is to analyse the situation concerning public surveillance in Japan. Although the introduction of electronic surveillance technologies is rapid and widespread in that country, there is scarce public opposition to governmental policies attempting to enhance the policing of everyday life through social monitoring techniques. One reason why public opinion shows a ‘reluctant acceptance’ of these policies is that the relationship between the journalistic media and the public is strained. Because of the public’s inherent distrust of the media in general, any journalistic critique of surveillance practices fails to gain strong support from the public. As a result of this relationship, the government seeks to implement surveillance policies and practices in the name of public security – a major priority since September 11. However, the rise of surveillance technologies and policies presents a serious danger for civil society in Japan.