Chapter 1 Police Organization and the Public Safety Commission SystemSection 2 Public Safety Commission
Activities
1 National Public Safety Commission(NPSC)In accordance with the Police Act and otherlaws, the NPSC supervises the NPA byindicating all-encompassing policies andundertaking administrative tasks that fallwithin the scope of its authority, such as theestablishmentofNPSCRegulations,appointment of or taking disciplinary action
against local senior police officers (officers
among prefectural police organizations ranked
AssistantCommissionerandhigher),confirmation of the relevancy of practicalobjectives and requirements when designating
a designated Boryokudan (organized crimegroup). In 2014, the NPSC established 12
NPSC Regulations, including the regulation tosecure the appropriate implementation ofoperations pertaining to specially designatedsecrets relating to police.
The NPSC usually convenes regularmeetings every week on Thursdays. In
addition, the NPSC strives to maintain anunderstanding of the state of public safety andpolice operations through the mutual exchangeof views between members of thecommission, and by listening to reports fromthe NPA, exchanging views with PPSC
members and conducting on-site inspectionsof police activities.

Section 1 Police Organization
1 Public Safety Commission System
The Public Safety Commission Systemserves a significant role in ensuring thedemocratic operation and political neutralityof the police, and the National Public Safety
Commission (NPSC) was set up on a national
level to supervise the National Police Agency(NPA), while Prefectural Public Safety
Commissions (PPSC) were set up at
prefectural levels to supervise the prefecturalpolice. In addition, the Minister of State isappointed as Chairperson of the NPSC inorder to coordinate the two requirements:
ensuring the political neutrality of the policeandclarifying
theadministrative
responsibilities of the Cabinet in relation topublic safety.
2 National and Prefectural Police
Organization
In contrast to the prefectural police thatassume centralized enforcement duties, theNPA, as a national agency, formulates police
systems, and also conducts police operations
regarding cases involving national publicsafety, undertakes the administration ofmatters which form the foundation of police
activities such as police education andtraining, police communications, criminal
identification as well as the development ofpolice administration. In addition, as of April
1, 2015, along with police headquarters,
police academies, and other facilities, there
were 1,167 police stations in the 47
prefectural police.

- 38 -meetings and other assemblies and giving
guidance on the police efforts based onincidents, accidents and disasters within thejurisdiction, organizational status, personnel
management and other matters.
PPSCs generally convene three or four
regular meetings a month and also strive tomaintain an understanding of the state of
public safety and police operations throughparticipation in Police Station Councils,
discussions with relevant organizations suchas the board of education, and on-site
inspections of police activities.

Regular meeting of the NPSC

Case: In January 2015, during a visit toFukui Prefecture, the Chairperson of theNPSC inspected the Mihama Nuclear
Power Plant and provided encouragement
to security units deployed at nuclear
facilities, in addition to inspecting theimplementation status of training at apolice academy and the surrounding areasof the scene where a couple was suspectedof having been abducted by North Korea.

Case: In January 2014, members of theSaga PPSC rode in a cycling simulator witha screen that displays a simulated trafficenvironment. The simulator allows cyclists
to receive practical learning on traffic rules
and etiquette.

A member of the Saga PPSC rides in a cycling
simulator

3 Handling Complaints and Giving
Instructions for Inspections
A system for filing complaints has been
stipulated in the Police Act. Any person who
has a complaint about the duties executed by
the personnel of the prefectural police may
file the complaint in writing to the PPSC. The
PPSC will generally notify the complainant of
its decision in writing. In 2014, PPSCs
nationwide received 930 complaints.
In addition, in accordance with provisions
in the Police Act, the NPSC and PPSCs may
give specific instruction for inspection to theNPA and prefectural police respectively.

The Chairperson of the NPSC, providing
encouragement to the security detachment atthe Mihama Nuclear Power Plant.

2 Prefectural Public Safety Commissions(PPSC)
Prefectural Public Safety Commissions
supervise
theprefecturalpolicebyundertaking many administrative tasks inrelation to citizens’ lives such as issuing
drivers’ licenses, regulating traffic, awarding
benefit payments to victims of crime,
supervision of various types of business suchas antique dealing, and by receiving reports
from Chiefs of Prefectural Police at regular- 39 -4 Mutual Communications between Public
Safety Commissions
The NPSC and all PPSCs hold variousliaison conferences in order to maintain
constant close communications. In 2014, twoliaison meetings between the NSPC and all
PPSCs nationwide were held, in which views
were exchanged concerning the status ofactivities by the Police Station Councils.
In 2014, in each Regional Police Bureau
and in Hokkaido, a total of thirteen liaison
meetings were held between jurisdictional
public safety commissions, and between theHokkaido Public Safety Commission and theArea Public Safety Commission in Hokkaido.
Members of the NPSC also attended thesemeetings which involved reports concerning
the state of public
safety and the efforts of each prefecture, andexchange of views. Furthermore, liaison
meetings between the PPSCs of Tokyo,
Hokkaido, Kyoto, Osaka and other designatedprefectures were also held.

was held for members of the Public Safety
Commissions of designated prefectures,
including Tokyo, Hokkaido, Osaka, Kyoto
and 12 other prefectures. At this meeting,the members discussed matters pertaining
to the status of complaints filed with the
Public Safety Commissions, the roles of the
Public Safety Commissions and theenhancement of their activities.

Liaison meeting of 16 PPSCs

Case: In May 2014, in Kanagawa
Prefecture, a liaison meeting of 16 PPSCs- 40 -