Press Releases
Workshop on Effective International Cooperation in the area of Cybercrime Investigation and Prosecution
May 21, 2013
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan hosted Workshop on Effective International Cooperation in the area of Cybercrime Investigation and Prosecution in Tokyo on Monday, May 20 to Tuesday, May 21.
- The workshop is hosted by the Government of Japan to share with the countries in the Asia Pacific region Japan’s experience leading up to the conclusion of the Cybercrime Convention (Japan concluded the Cybercrime Convention last July and it came into force in Japan last November). The workshop is aimed at exchanging views with the countries in the Asia Pacific region on challenges and lessons learned concerning cybercrime investigation and prosecution and at promoting effective international cooperation and capacity building assistance in the area of cybercrime.
- The workshop was attended by government experts from 16 countries in the Asia Pacific region (ASEAN countries except for Singapore, Australia, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Tonga) and Japan, as well as experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI), Interpol and the Council of Europe. The Secretary of State, Ministry of Interior of Cambodia; the Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office of the Kingdom of Tonga as well as the Assistant Secretary, Department of Justice of the Philippines were also present among 38 participants.
- From Japan, H.E. Mr. Osamu Imai, Ambassador in charge of Cyber Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened the workshop, and Mr. Tsuyoshi Kitagawa, Principal Deputy Director of the International Safety and Security Cooperation Division, MOFA served as a facilitator. In addition, experts from UNAFEI, the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Justice made presentations as guest speakers.
- In his opening remarks, Ambassador Imai stated that (1) since cybercrime easily transcends national borders, international cooperation is crucial in tackling this crime, and that (2) utilizing the existing frameworks and assisting capacity building of national criminal justice systems are very useful in promoting effective international cooperation.
- During the workshop, each expert made presentations and active discussions among the participants took place on the challenges and way forward in addressing those challenges concerning cybercrime investigation and prosecution. The participants also expressed expectations for further assistance from Japan and other relevant international organizations in enhancing national and regional criminal justice capacities in countering cybercrime.
* The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.