The Children and Families Agency in Japan has finalized guidelines for a child-protection system, similar to Britain’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which will enable employers to check the sex crime records of prospective teachers and care workers. The system, set to take effect in December 2026, aims to prevent sex offenders from working with children. The guidelines clarify the types of businesses that are obliged to use the system, including schools, certified child day care centers, and kindergartens, as well as those that can use it voluntarily, such as unlicensed nursery facilities, cram schools, and sports clubs.
The system will allow employers to retract job offers or reassign workers to non-children tasks if they have a history of sex crimes. Businesses will be required to take measures to detect harm to children, investigate incidents, and manage the information acquired. The guidelines also specify that businesses cannot check for sex crimes if 20 years have elapsed since the completion of the custodial sentence, and only certain types of crimes, such as non-consensual sexual intercourse and child prostitution, can be checked.
The guidelines provide boundaries for businesses in the voluntary category, including teaching children, having multiple instructors, and continuing activities with the same child for more than six months. Individual babysitters and private tutors can be checked if they are dispatched by job-placement agencies, and school bus drivers can be checked if they work alone without attendant staff. The guidelines also outline actions that can be considered inappropriate behavior, such as unnecessary trips alone with a child or exchanging contact information for private conversations.
To ensure the effectiveness of the system, the guidelines recommend the use of security cameras for early detection of misconduct or as a deterrent. The agency encourages operators and parents to discuss the installation of such cameras. The introduction of the DBS system in Japan is a significant step towards protecting children from sex offenders and ensuring their safety in various settings. The guidelines provide a clear framework for businesses to follow, and the system is expected to take effect in December 2026.