Japan Implements Tightened Airport Security Measures
Japan seems to be tightening security measures at the airports and has started fingerprinting and photographing foreigners as they arrive.
Nearly all foreigners age 16 or over, including longtime residents, will be scanned. The only exceptions are diplomats, government guests and permanent residents such as Koreans who have lived in Japan for generations.
The fingerprints and photos will be checked for matches on terrorist watch lists and files on foreigners with criminal records in Japan. People matching the data will be denied entry and deported.
There have been complaints saying it’s like an invasion of privacy and that the Japanese government should not store and have access to such information on passengers. What do you think?
Photo: Wikimedia
2 Comments
It does seem like an invasion of privacy to some extent, but I think the fallout against it would be much bigger if they were doing it to their own citizens.
Are there other countries that currently do that, either to foreigners or to their own residents?
I just went thru the fingerprinting experience just after visiting the states for the winter holidays. The whole process takes about 10 seconds. I didnt feel it was an intrusion, since I have nothing to hide. It seems that the Japanese really didn’t want to impose this system, but was a reaction to the US fingerprinting and photographing visitors. Like tit for tat.