Japanese govt backs use of GPS trackers to prevent suspects from escaping abroad

The Japan government aims to pass the Bill through Parliament during the current session. - Reuters

TOKYO, March 4 (Xinhua): The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday approved legal revisions to enable courts to order the use of GPS trackers to prevent international bail jumping, such as former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn's escape from the country in 2019 while on bail.

Under the proposed revisions, judges would decide if defendants out on bail should be ordered to wear GPS tracking devices after hearing from defense attorneys and prosecutors, while unauthorized removal of such devices as well as entering areas that are off-limits such as airports and harbor facilities will lead to detention and a sentence of up to a year in jail.