Japan to Deploy Body-Worn Police Cameras Nationwide Starting Fiscal 2027

Following a series of pilot projects that began last September, the National Police Agency announced a nationwide rollout of body-worn cameras slated for fiscal 2027, allocating roughly 170 million yen for about 2,000 units. The trials covered 13 prefectural forces and focused on three operational domains: community affairs in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka; traffic enforcement in Niigata, Aichi and Kochi; and crowd management at venues and stations in nine prefectures, including Hokkaido and Hiroshima.

Video evidence proved decisive in a case where a Fukuoka officer was kicked while mediating a dispute and in disproving a suspect’s claim of forced questioning in a drug investigation. Traffic supervisors accessed recordings on about 160 occasions to verify proper procedure, and several motorists expressed approval of recorded questioning. More than ten incidents of individuals refusing to be filmed were recorded, leading officers to transfer the encounter to a non-camera-equipped colleague. Officials stressed that the footage offers an objective record of actions, participants and timing, enhancing police accountability.