Toward the close of the Diet session this week, lawmakers affiliated with the ruling parties, riding on their coalition's majority, rushed through several controversial bills that could infringe on basic human rights in a free and democratic society. One of them is a package of three bills designed to fight organized crime; it includes a bill that would allow prosecutors and police to wiretap telephone, fax and Internet communications.

Proponents, especially investigative authorities, note that this so-called wiretap law will help to crack down on organized crime. They emphasize that criminal investigations require new methods to protect the safety and peace of citizens' lives. The public remains concerned, however, that investigators might use their newfound power in ways that abuse basic human rights and freedoms, such as the rights to privacy and privileged communication. It must be hoped, therefore, that authorities will make utmost efforts to prevent any abuse.

The law enables investigators to eavesdrop on "telephone and other telecommunications" as part of criminal investigations, but only those involving drugs, firearms, illegal mass immigration and organized murder. However, debates in the Lower House raised a host of potential problems with the tapping of telephone conversations.