The National Public Safety Commission set basic guidelines for investigative wiretapping Thursday, including a provision that mandates that police acquire permission from prefectural police chiefs before they request wiretapping warrants in court.
The rules, which were drawn up ahead of the law's taking effect in August, clarify that the police chiefs are to be involved in each stage of the investigative procedure, thereby making it clear that the police are responsible as an organization for their actions.
The guidelines come in response to public anxiety over possible police abuse of their authority to listen in on telephone conversations, which will be allowed with the wiretapping law's coming into effect.