making reports to police.

Between January 2009, when the system was put into place, and May 2009, the National Police Agency provided the list of 2,714 names to the Japanese Bankers Association and other relevant organizations.

### d. Provision of information to police when forgery of driver's licenses are suspected

When a driver’s license presented by a cell phone contract applicant to a cell phone service provider as part of identify confirmation documents at the time of contract is suspected of forgery, the service provider notifies that information to police, which in turn use the information in their investigations and try to arrest that perpetrator at an early date while preventing the distribution of cell phones involved in illicit contracts.

Between December 2008, when the information notification system was put into place, and March 2009, the provision of information to police by cell phone service providers led to the arrests of 39 people.

## (2) Efforts to Deal with Fraudulent Commercial Practices

Police are taking a variety of measures to help prevent damage from fraudulent commercial practices in cooperation with related institutions and organizations.

## 1 ) Promotion of crackdown based on the Outline for the Promotion of Measures against Livelihood-Threatening Economic Offenses

Based on the “Outline for the Promotion of Measures against Livelihood-Threatening Economic Offenses,” formulated in July 2008, police are promoting various measures, including the crackdown focusing on vicious offenses threatening the safety and security of citizens, early detection of offenses through stronger cooperation with relevant institutions, deprivation of criminal proceeds and stronger support for damage recovery.

2) Stronger cooperation with relevant institutions

The National Police Agency is seeking to share information on fraudulent commercial practices and promoting related measures in cooperation with relevant institutions through the “Liaison Conference on Fraudulent Commercial Practices among Relevant Ministries and Agencies,” hosted by the Cabinet Office, and the “Liaison Council on Collective Investment Schemes (Funds),” sponsored by the Financial Services Agency.

## 3 ) Promotion of awareness activities for the prevention of damage

Police are promoting awareness activities for the prevention of damage in cooperation with relevant institutions and organizations, through, for example, the “Consumer Month,” designated by the government for May each year.

## (3) Efforts to Deal with Black-Market Finance Offenses

1) Promotion of measures based on the Program to Improve Multiple Debt Problems

In April 2007, the Headquarters for Measurers for Multiple Debtors within the government, in line with a council of advisers' opinion, "About Measures for Solving the Multiple Debt Problem," adopted the "Program to Improve the Multiple Debt Problem." The Program mapped out concrete policy measures that should be addressed immediately, and called for their concerted implementation by relevant institutions and organizations as well as follow-ups on the progress of policy measures in each fiscal year.

Police are steadily promoting measures based on the Program.

## 2 ) Reinforced crackdown

In 2003, the intensive crackdown headquarters were established at Prefectural Police for reinforced crackdown on escalating black-market finance offenses. Police are continuing to push ahead with effective crackdown by maintaining the intensive crackdown headquarters, and also conduct “long-term practical training on investigations into livelihood-threatening economic offenses,” designed to enhance the investigative capabilities of young investigators sent from Prefectural Police to the Metropolitan Police Department through investigations into black-market finance offenses in the metropolitan region.

## 3 ) Promotion of measures for damage prevention

Police are taking steps to familiarize front-line policemen with the appropriate handling of black-market finance offenses by distributing easy-to-understand manuals. In offering counseling, police are listening sincerely to what people who come forward for consultation have to say while fully respecting their sentiments. In cases of vicious collection, police are proactively giving warnings over the phone to black-market finance operators.

Police are also proactively seeking the identity confirmation of parties to cell phone contracts based on the Act on Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile