Newsletter No. 873
News-Analysis
January 12, 2008

 

ANOTHER BOLD STEP INTO THE SURVEILLANCE CENTURY

We already know that two surefire ways to make oneself a terrorist suspect in Japan is to attempt to board an airplane or to be a foreigner arriving from abroad. AFP is now reporting that the newest way to become a suspect is the heinous act of walking the streets of Tokyo.

In “preparation” for the 2016 Summer Olympics, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is expected to allocate about US$4.6 million dollars in FY 2008 to boost security. One of the key new measures will be to set up three-dimensional cameras with facial recognition systems in train stations and other public areas throughout the capital. Once again, the “Al-Qaida Threat” is being cited.

One Tokyo city official was quoted as complaining that the “current system” has only “two-dimensional images and cameras can't match them to real faces when viewing them diagonally or at different angles.” I guess that means that some similar kind of surveillance is already in place in Tokyo.

I hardly know what to say anymore; If this is what we now call a “free society” then I’d really hate to see what a “police state” will look like in the 21st century.

Justice Ministry Again Defends Foreigner Fingerprinting

Since we are on the subject, we should also note the assertion by the Justice Ministry yesterday that the number of tourists visiting Japan between November 20th and December 31st was 13.4% higher than the 2006 figures. They are eagerly pointing to these numbers to demonstrate their contention that the blanket fingerprinting of foreigners has done no damage to the Japanese economy.

I have two observations:

1) The Justice Ministry would feel no need to defend its policy if there was not in fact significant criticism of the fingerprinting measures.

2) Assuming that these tourism figures are absolutely true, all they really demonstrate is that there has been no immediate and catastrophic drop in the number of tourists.

Are there any other factors that might explain why the number of tourists rose in late 2007 compared to late 2006? Do we know how much larger the figures might have been if the fingerprinting measures hadn’t been adopted? Were all travelers around the world actually aware of new Japanese policies before they made their travel plans?

It will probably take a long time before the real economic impact of the fingerprinting measures will be known. It may be small, or may be more significant. It will probably never be measured precisely.

All I can say for sure is I myself am a long-term resident of Japan who is reasonably productive and law-abiding, and I personally am outraged by these kinds of measures, and I intend to let Japanese immigration officers hear about my feelings every single time I re-enter the country until they either change this intrusive policy or stuff me in Guantanamo.

But to Japan’s great credit, I must say that I can expect a generally polite response to my pointed criticisms. I’m well aware that some of the thin-skinned types in America’s TSA might be more likely to arrest or taser me for my non-conformist outbursts.

That’s one of the key reasons why I still choose to live here and not there.