Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2005
Next PageMain Text > Part II ODA DISBURSEMENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2004 > Chapter 2 Details and New Policies about Japan's ODA: Striving for Further ODA Reforms > Section 2. Measures for Each of the Priority Issues > 3. Addressing Global Issues > (9) International Organized Crime
(9) International Organized Crime
In recent years, with the advancements of globalization, development of high-tech devices, and increase of human mobility, among other factors, the threat of large-scale and systematic international organized crimes, which are committed across national borders, is becoming increasingly serious. Main examples of such crimes include illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons, smuggling of stolen goods, corporate crimes and economic crimes such as fraud and embezzlement, counterfeiting of currency and credit cards, corruption, financial crimes such as tax evasion and money laundering, prostitution, illegal immigration, and human trafficking of women and children. To respond to these international organized crimes, it is necessary for each country to enhance its countermeasures, and make efforts in the area of justice and law-enforcement to eliminate legal loopholes through international cooperation.
Japan is making active contributions to the deliberations and cooperation for establishing rules and measures related to international organized crime though international organizations and frameworks such as the UN and G8. The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders ( UNAFEI ) 39 has been conducting international training sessions since 1998 on the theme of countermeasures against international organized crimes. In FY2004 it offered training for criminal justice officials in the area of money laundering. Moreover, because corruption is the hotbed of organized crimes, UNAFEI started a training course in 2004 with a view to enhancing the capacity and efficiency of staff members of the office of the National Counter Corruption Commission of Thailand ( NCCC ). This course is a part of JICA's country-specific training courses in which various issues related to corruption are comprehensively examined in order to suppress corruption, enhance technical and legal knowledge regarding status inquiries, and increase the capabilities and efficiency of the staff.
Human trafficking has also become an international issue. Japan has been holding the "Seminar on Immigration Control in Southeast Asia" annually since 1987. The purpose of this seminar is to strengthen partnerships with the immigration control organizations of Southeast Asia and other countries of the Pacific Rim and other areas, as well as to improve screening technologies and promote accurate and smooth operations of immigration administration in each country. In FY2004, the seminar was entitled "Current Situation and Measures to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Various Countries," and was geared toward promoting cooperation with other countries. Furthermore, because forged or altered passports are often used in international organized crimes, Japan has been holding the "Seminar on Document Examination" annually since 1995. The purposes of this seminar are to exchange information and opinions with document examiners and other personnel at immigration control agencies of Southeast Asian and Pacific Rim countries, develop mutual cooperative relationships, improve identification technologies, and promote precision and streamlining of immigration administration of those countries and regions. An active exchange of information took place at the FY2004 seminar.