Bill Enacted to Create Japanese Version of DBS

Jiji Press

17:39 JST, June 19, 2024

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Diet Wednesday enacted a bill to create a Japanese version of Britain’s Disclosure and Barring Service, to check whether people holding or seeking jobs that involve contact with children have sex crime records.

The bill aimed at preventing sexual offenses against children was approved unanimously at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors. The House of Representatives passed the bill on May 23.

Under the new law, which will be enforced in fiscal 2026 at the earliest, schools, nurseries and orphanages will be required to check whether workers have sex crime records, and conduct related staff training.

The Japanese version of the DBS is a system for schools and other institutions to ask the Justice Ministry through the Children and Families Agency for a confirmation letter on whether their existing workers or job seekers have a sex offense history.

The new legislation will call for these institutions to reject job seekers with sex crime records and transfer existing workers with such records to jobs that do not involve contact with children. The confirmation letter will not be issued if job seekers decline unofficial job offers or if workers quit their jobs.

Among cram schools and sports clubs, only businesses certified by the government will be required to check for sex crime records. Babysitters and private tutors that are sole proprietors are excluded from the certification system.