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Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

First Page

893

Abstract

In August 1999, Japan became the last of the G8 nations to pass legislation to allow law enforcement to wiretap communications. For some, passage of the law was long overdue; for others, its passage marked the beginning of an impermissible government encroachment on civil rights. This Note examines Japan's Communications Interception Act, the forces in Japanese society creating the need for the law, and the reasons why the law is being challenged. Part II examines the policy behind the law, its history, and public reaction to the law. Part III presents the history of organized crime in Japan, and a commentary on its impact in Japan and on the international community. Part IV analyzes the legal challenges to the law. Part V discusses the potential efficacy of the wiretap law in combating Japanese organized crime and the likelihood of abuse in the implementation of the law.

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