Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)–The electronic warrant system, in which arrest and search warrants are requested and issued online, will be introduced at courts in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa by the end of this fiscal year in March, ahead of its nationwide introduction, it was learned Tuesday. According to informed sources, the Supreme Court plans to implement the system in stages to avoid administrative confusion. It has decided to start the system with stimulant possession and use cases, which usually involve fewer types of evidence, in the Tokyo metropolitan area, where such cases occur more frequently. This move comes as the revised Code of Criminal Procedure is set to take effect by March to digitize criminal procedures. In early May, the electronic warrant system is expected to become available in seven other prefectures with high courts, including Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka, and for all cases in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Currently, police officers need to visit courts in person to obtain printed arrest and search warrants. The new system will allow them to request and obtain such warrants online and present them on tablets and other devices. According to judicial statistics, a total of 93,360 warrant requests were made at district and summary courts across the country last year. Of them, 98.6 pct were approved, and 0.06 pct rejected. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
