System using GPS to be tested to prevent another Ghosn case

Former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn’s notorious escape overseas while on bail has led to efforts to develop monitoring systems using GPS devices, which will be tested from this fiscal year, e Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The Justice Ministry and the Supreme Court will jointly test a system, aiming to put it into operation as early as scal 2026.

Firms wishing to join in the development are set to make their presentations later this month for the selection of a contractor to make a prototype that will be tested.

A GPS tag to be worn on the wrist or the ankle needs to be designed in a way that allows a person to bathe or have the device recharged while still wearing it. Also, it needs to be di cult to remove the device once put on.

As for functions, the device needs to be able to send location information regularly, as well as to detect and notify related organizations of violations, such as if the wearer enters a prohibited area like an airport or port facility or removes the device.

As no existing domestic products are equipped with such designs and functions, the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Court have called for rms to develop a new device.

The tests will look to verify whether the trial device can detect violations. Technical issues, such as whether there are areas where location information is di cult to pinpoint and the duration of batteries, will be examined as well.

Ghosn, who was charged by public prosecutors with illicitly using Nissan funds and understating his remuneration, fled overseas at the end of 2019 while he was out on bail. e incident prompted the government to create a new system that requires defendants who are granted bail but are considered ight risks to wear GPS devices.

The Legislative Council, an advisory body to the justice minister, has decided on the outline of revisions to the Criminal Procedure Code and other legislation necessary to put the new system in place, and submitted the report to Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa.

The ministry is making preparations to submit a dra bill of the revisions to the Diet.

According to the Legislative Council’s outline, a court can order a defendant to wear a GPS tag when granting bail, should it decide there is a risk of the defendant eeing abroad. Such defendants might, for example, be foreign nationals who have overseas bases or wealthy people with abundant capital to fund an escape.

When GPS devices detect violations, the relevant court will be noti ed and the prosecutors and other authorities contacted by the court will take the defendant into custody.

The Justice Ministry and the Supreme Court requested about ¥40 million to fund the development, testing and commissioning of the device. e amount was included in the supplementary budget for scal 2021 that passed the Diet in December. e Supreme Court will also proceed with making rules for operating the envisaged system. (April 6)