{
  "id": 9677163,
  "title": "Panel calls for giving police option to remotely analyze tokuryū members’ phones",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/panel-calls-for-giving-police-option-to-remotely-analyze-tokuryu",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T02:29:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Japan Times",
    "slug": "japan-times",
    "url": "https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/25/japan/crime-legal/tokury-smartphones-remote/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An expert panel under the National Police Agency has proposed that police officers be granted the option to remotely analyze smartphones belonging to members of loosely organized, anonymous criminal groups known as tokuryū. This proposal was compiled on Thursday and emphasizes the urgent need for new measures to prevent damages resulting from crimes committed by these groups. The National Police Agency (NPA) intends to submit a bill to revise the police duties execution law to an extraordinary parliamentary session, which could convene early next month, once the details of the proposed remote analysis method are finalized. Tokuryū groups utilize highly confidential communication apps that feature encryption and automatic message deletion, making them effective tools for committing crimes such as fraud and robbery. Traditional investigation techniques, like wiretapping, have proven ineffective in uncovering the inner workings of these organizations, hindering efforts to identify key members and targets of their criminal activities.",
  "summary": "Police would obtain information by remotely operating smartphones believed to belong to tokuryū masterminds, breaking down their anonymity.",
  "key_points": [
    "Expert panel proposes remote smartphone analysis for tokuryū members.",
    "NPA to submit bill revising police duties law early next month.",
    "Tokuryū groups use encrypted apps for fraud, robbery crimes."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The proposed remote phone analysis option would give police a new tool to counter tokuryū groups' use of encrypted communication apps that have hindered traditional investigation techniques.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}