Japan police to roll out body-worn cameras nationwide in 2027 after trials

Japanese police will expand use of body-worn cameras nationwide from next financial year after trials showed they were effective in providing evidence and verifying that investigative procedures were followed appropriately, the National Police Agency said on Friday.The agency has requested about 170 million yen (US$1 million) for the year starting April 2027 to cover related costs for around 2,000 cameras.Trials began in September last year in 13 prefectural police departments, covering community affairs, traffic enforcement and crowd control operations.Trials were conducted for community affairs in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka prefectures until November. Footage was used as evidence in a case of obstruction of official duties, in which a Fukuoka-prefectural-police" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="195259" data-entity-type="organization">Fukuoka prefectural police officer who had intervened to mediate a dispute – while the incident, including police questioning, was being recorded – was kicked by a man.A wearable camera mounted on the chest of a police officer mannequin at the National Police Agency in Tokyo, Japan in July 2025. Photo: KyodoIn another case, a suspect in drug-related cases claimed to have been forcibly taken in for questioning, but video footage confirmed that there were no issues.