Stalking at All-Time High: Abuse of Electronic Devices Must Be Ended Quickly

Editorial

15:00 JST, July 5, 2025

With advances in digital technology, stalkers’ methods have become more sophisticated. Stronger measures, including legal reforms, will be needed to ensure the safety of victims and their peace of mind.

Last year, there was a record high in stalking cases detected and investigated by law enforcement as violations of the Anti-Stalking Law, reaching a total of 1,341 cases. There were also a record 2,415 restraining orders issued, such as to stop individuals from approaching a victim’s home.

The Anti-Stalking Law was enacted in 2000 after a female university student was murdered in Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture. The police, who in principle did not intervene in civil matters before the new law, began to actively address disputes between family members and between men and women.

Thanks to this change in approach, it appears that more cases are being detected and investigated, but there are still cases in which the police are too slow to respond. In April, a woman in Kawasaki who had told the Kanagawa prefectural police that she was being stalked by her former boyfriend was found dead.

This can only be described as a tragedy. When victims’ complaints are not taken seriously, there can be no safety. The police must become more aware of this fact. They must not take any reports lightly, and it is imporant for them to carry out all necessary measures.

There are an increasing number of cases in which GPS devices and tracking tags, meant to help find lost items, have been used to locate victims.

Last year, there were 883 cases of people consulting the police about stalking, up by 30% from the previous year. Of these cases, 370 involved tracking tags, nearly twice the previous year’s figure.

What is more, people with a history of committing domestic violence have mailed the tags to the old addresses of exes or spouses from whom they are separated. This allows them to discover where the victim is living now, as mail is forwarded to their new address.

The law was revised in 2021 to prohibit the placement of GPS devices on a person’s vehicle or in their personal belongings without permission. However, the tags themselves do not transmit location information and are therefore not subject to the law.

When their whereabouts are discovered, victims feel significant fear and anxiety. If stalkers are allowed to escalate in this manner, it could lead to serious incidents. The government needs to speed up legal revisions so that it can respond to changing times, including developments in electronic devices.

The police began a program last year to confirm the current status of everyone who has received a restraining order, by phone call or in person. They have already contacted nearly 60% of these individuals. The police say that when these individuals still feel a strong obsession, they urge the victim to exercise caution.

To prevent harm before it occurs, it is essential that measures target stalkers. The police should consistently implement these measures while also making sure to protect victims.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 5, 2025)