Combating police corruption in Japan: new challenges ahead?

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze Japanese police corruption and assess the effectiveness of the police reforms to minimize it.Design/methodology/approachThis paper focusses on police corruption in Japan by analyzing its causes and evaluating the effectiveness of measures to prevent it. The paper concludes with some recommendations for minimizing police corruption in Japan.FindingsEven though recent preventive measures in Japan initiated through police reforms have reduced opportunities for police corruption, it is still necessary to improve public trust in the police. The Japanese police do not initiate anti-corruption measures, but focus instead on prevention through ethics training and reliance on stringent regulations. Fostering a civil society coalition for monitoring police corruption, conducting public perceptions surveys of corruption and bringing police corruption studies into academic discussions are tools for tackling police corruption.Originality/valueThis paper will be useful for scholars, policy-makers and anti-corruption practitioners interested in learning how the Japanese police prevent corruption.