Japan's Cabinet endorsed on Tuesday a bill aimed at stopping convicted sex offenders from working with children by creating a system requiring schools and other employers to have 20-year background checks conducted on candidates.
Parents and child support groups have been calling for the introduction of the system, dubbed the "Japanese DBS," similar to the British government's Disclosure and Barring Service, following a series of cases in which children have been sexually abused by authority figures.
The government plans to submit the bill to the current Diet session, and the system is expected to begin operating around 2026, according to government officials.
"The bill is important from the perspective of raising awareness about protecting children from sexual violence on a societal level," Ayuko Kato, minister responsible for the Children and Families Agency, told a press conference.
Under the system, schools, day care centers and kindergartens will be required to refer job candidates for criminal background checks conducted by the Children and Families Agency.
If the agency confirms the jobseeker has a sex offense conviction in the last 20 years, it will notify the individual and give them the option of declining the job offer.
If the individual chooses not to decline the offer, the agency will inform the prospective employer of the outcome of the background check.
Cram schools, afterschool clubs, athletic clubs and other private entities can also voluntarily sign up to the program. By participating, they will receive official certification that can be used in marketing materials.
The bill also requires employers to take precautionary safety measures if they determine existing employees are convicted sex offenders.
In those cases, employers will remove the employees from roles that bring them into contact with children or ensure they will not be alone with a child. If precautionary measures are not considered sufficient, they can also fire the employees.
Employers will be permitted to look into employees against whom allegations have been made, even if they do not have a criminal record, based on complaints from children or parents.
The government plans to compile guidelines laying out criteria for employers to use when implementing precautionary measures or dealing with an allegation against a worker.
Although Japanese law states a criminal record should be expunged 10 years after the guilty person has completed their prison sentence, due to high rates of recidivism among sex offenders records will remain on the database for 20 years.
If a person is convicted of a sex crime but punished with a fine rather than a prison sentence, their record is expunged after 10 years.
Criminal records subject to disclosure would be limited to those finalized in courts, excluding cases in which charges were dropped due to a settlement or other reasons.
In addition to criminal law offenses, records of violations of local ordinances, such as against groping and voyeurism, will be included in background checks.
Related coverage:
Japan eyes 20-yr background check for working in jobs involving kids
Japan to allow criminal checks beyond 10 years for jobs with children
Japan to delay bill blocking sex offenders from working with children
