Japan is considering steps to allow authorities to fingerprint and photograph foreigners entering the country and to permit the deportation of suspected terrorists, a Japanese daily said on Saturday. The proposals were included in a draft outline of security measures expected to be adopted as early as Friday by a government task force on international terrorism, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said.
"As the situation remains tense, we must not underestimate threats to Japan," Yomiuri quoted the outline as saying, adding that it also calls for tightening security at Japanese diplomatic facilities and businesses overseas.
Proposed legal changes would permit authorities to fingerprint and photograph foreign travelers at airports and seaports based on steps adopted by the United States, the paper said.
The government would aim to submit required legislative changes to parliament in 2006 including a provision that would allow the Justice Minister to expel suspected terrorists from Japan, Yomiuri said.
The security programme also calls for steps such as requiring airline pilots and sea captains to submit crew and passenger manifests to authorities ahead of arrival and requiring foreign guests at hotels to record nationalities and passport numbers on registration forms, the paper said.
Japan would dispatch experts to Southeast Asian and other neighbouring countries to help detect false passports and prevent them from being used to gain entry into Japan, it said.
The government will boost security at key facilities by strengthening screening measures, Yomiuri said.
Japan, which has sent about 550 troops to Iraq for reconstruction and humanitarian work, has been on heightened security since late last year when the government decided to go ahead with the mission.
Media reports have said al Qaeda had threatened to strike the country if Japan sent troops to Iraq. Since then, Japan has tightened security at key locations including nuclear power plants, government facilities and US military bases.
Comments
Comments are closed.