For some, the growing number of security cameras in public is a reassuring reminder that efforts are being made to make communities safer, but one expert claims Japan must still make better use of such surveillance technology to crack down on crime.
"Considering the massive use of mobile phones in Japanese society and all the portable solutions, it's evident how behind the times police are (in utilizing forefront technology)," Dr. David Murakami Wood, a lecturer at the University of Newcastle in northern England, told The Japan Times during a recent visit to Tokyo.
An expert on ethics and sociopolitical aspects of new surveillance technology, Murakami Wood pointed out that police in Japan have been notoriously slow in adopting surveillance tactics. He believes the authorities must improve their skills in managing camera footage to make better use of the systems.