(85.0%) were children.

Additionally, there were 367 cases (an increase of 245 cases compared to the previous year) in violation of the Act on Regulating Enticement of Children through Websites for Social Networking of Opposite Sexes (hereafter referred to as the "Online Dating Site Regulation Act"), and of these, 119 offenses where committed by children (an increase of 58 cases compared to the previous year).

In 2008, the number of cases related to websites other than online dating sites $ ^{2} $ that were reported to the NPA was 994 and the number of child victims was 792.

Note 1: Websites which render service for people who want to socialize with unknown people of the opposite sex, where relevant information regarding such people is posted on the Internet so that website users can access this information and maintain mutual communication through electronic mail or telecommunication.

2: Of the cases which arose from the use of websites other than online dating sites, cases relating to child victims cases of violations of the Child Prostitution/Pornography Act, Child Welfare Act, and Youth Protection Ordinances, and serious crimes.

## 3 ) Situation Regarding Consultations on Cybercrimes

In 2008, the number of consultations received by the Prefectural Police on cybercrimes was as shown in Table 1-9, an increase of 12.0% from the previous year.

In particular, the number of consultations regarding unauthorized computer access and viruses increased 50.5% compared to the previous year.

Additionally, the number of accesses to the Cyber Safety Consultation Website (http://www.npa.go.jp/cybersafety/) where people can register consultations via internet and receive answers was 298,450 in 2008. Accesses regarding billing, websites and bulletin boards, and internet auctions were high in particular.

Table 1-9 Breakdown of Cybercrime related to Consultations (2004-2008)

Year	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Year-on-year comparison
Category
Total ( cases )	70,614	84,173	61,467	73,193	81,994	8,801 ( 12.0% )
Fraud/Unscrupulous	35,329	41,480	21,020	32,824	37,794	4970 ( 15.1% )
Internet Auctions	13,535	17,451	14,905	12,707	8,990	$ \Delta $ 3,717 ( $ \Delta $ 29.3%)
Defamation/Slander	3,685	5,782	8,037	8,871	11,516	2,645 ( 29.8% )
Spam Mail	3,946	3,975	2,930	4,645	6,038	1,393 ( 30.0% )
Illegal/Harmful Information	4,157	5,317	4,335	3,497	4,039	542 ( 15.5% )
Unauthorized Access/ Computer Viruses	2,160	3,965	3,323	3,005	4,522	1,517 ( 50.5% )
Others	7,802	6,203	6,917	7,644	9,095	1,451 ( 19.0% )

## (2) Promoting a Crackdown on Cybercrime

## 1 ) Improvement of Laws

### a. Unauthorized Computer Access Act

In addition to prohibiting acts of unauthorized computer access where offenders use other individual’s identification information without authorization and access their computers through advanced information communication networks, the Prefectural Public Safety Commissions has established rules on the provision of support such as the provision of material, advice and instructions required to prevent the reoccurrence of such crimes, in response to access administrators who have been victims of such acts.

### b. Antique Dealing Act

This law regulates the duties of notifications by those engaged in Internet auctions, to report goods that are under suspicion of having been stolen or otherwise related to criminal activities, to endeavor to confirm the identities of auctioneers and to create and save transaction records, as well as orders to halt bidding.

### c. Online Dating Site Regulation Act

This law prohibits the use of online dating sites to entice children to become sexual partners or offering payment to entice children to go out with members of the opposite sex (hereafter referred to as “prohibited enticement actions.”). It also requires businesses to clearly state that children may not use the site as well as to confirm that the user is not a child. In addition to this, with the partial revision of the Online Dating Site Regulation Act put into effect on December 1, 2008, regulations to implement a system for businesses to register, strengthening of regulations to newly establish