The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has developed Japan's first rapid test kit for determining whether a sex crime victim has been given a so-called date rape drug.
The "D1D plus" kit, developed in cooperation with the private sector, detects sleep-inducing drugs in urine in just several minutes, expediting the investigation process.
Sex crimes involving the use of date rape drugs have been rising in recent years, with the capital seeing 20 or so cases annually. Victims are taken advantage of when they ingest food or drinks that have been surreptitiously mixed with drugs that make them lose their memory or consciousness.
"By quickly determining if we have a criminal case, we want to prevent future victims," said a female chief officer in charge of sex crimes investigations.
In the past, it could take up to a month to determine if someone had been drugged. In the meantime, victims would blame themselves thinking they had overdrank, making it difficult for the police to gain their cooperation in many cases.
"If we can immediately know that it is a case of assault due to drugs, not only can we quickly begin preliminary investigations but also swiftly help victims connect with relevant support," the officer added.
Usage of the test kit led to the recent arrest of Takanori Matsumiya, an employee at a hostess bar, by the Tokyo police for allegedly committing an indecent act against a university female student by drugging her at her home.
The student, who was his co-worker, went to the Ikebukuro police station the day after the incident in March. Using the test, it was quickly determined that she had been drugged by imbibing a sports drink mixed with sedatives.
Development of the test kit began in 2021, and it has been distributed to 97 out of Tokyo's 102 police stations as of April 25, with just five stations on remote islands under the metropolitan government's jurisdiction yet to receive them.
"We want to eliminate date rape, and expose even more cases with this test kit," said Tsuyoshi Koda, chief of the First Investigation Division on violent crimes.
