Japanese police activities in a state of emergency: focusing on the Great East Japan earthquake and the Covid-19 pandemic
Emergencies such as terrorism, disasters, and epidemics are becoming more frequent, blurring the distinction between normalcy and crisis. In a state of emergency, authorities exercise control within the bounds of relevant laws to restore public order, but critics argue this may impinge on civil free...
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
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2025
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| In: |
Routledge international handbook of policing crises and emergencies
Year: 2025, Pages: 43-58 |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Summary: | Emergencies such as terrorism, disasters, and epidemics are becoming more frequent, blurring the distinction between normalcy and crisis. In a state of emergency, authorities exercise control within the bounds of relevant laws to restore public order, but critics argue this may impinge on civil freedoms. Conversely, Japan adopts a restrained approach, attributed to citizens’ trust in the government, maintaining social order without excessive legal enforcement. This chapter examines Japan’s administrative laws and police response during the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and the Covid-19 pandemic to highlight their crisis management. The Japanese Constitution avoids concentrating power solely in the prime minister’s hands during emergencies, preventing potential abuse. Instead, provisions for emergencies exist in the House of Councillors’ emergency assemblies and through various legal acts (e.g. Police Act, Self-Defense Forces Act, Basic Act on Disaster Management). During the Great East Japan earthquake, the Extreme Disaster Management Headquarters was established, implementing measures without a ‘disaster emergency’ declaration under the Basic Act on Disaster Control Measures. Similarly, Covid-19 prompted three ‘emergency declarations’ based on the ‘Outline of the Act Partially Amending the Act on Special Measures against Novel Influenza, etc., and Other Relevant Acts’, focusing on administrative fines for non-compliant stores rather than widespread restrictions on private rights. Police were limited to patrolling streets, lacking investigative authority or direct intervention. While some advocate stricter laws in emergencies, public opinion leans towards acceptance. The authorities’ response to crises has been largely successful, maintaining order without major freedom constraints, allowing citizens to resume normalcy with minimal disruption. |
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| Item Description: | Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 56-58 |
| Physical Description: | Diagramme |
| ISBN: | 9781032207872 |
