Private investigator licensing in Japan
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Japan.
Japan regulates detective businesses through notification, not a licence: under the 2006 Detective Business Act, operators must notify the Prefectural Public Safety Commission through the local police station by the day before trading begins, for each office. There is no exam or qualification, but bankrupts, people who completed a prison sentence or a fine under the Act within five years, gang members and their associates are disqualified. Operators must obtain a written pledge from each client that results will not be misused, issue pre-contract and contract documents, train staff and keep an employee register.
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How to get licensed
- 1
Check that you, and every officer of a company, are not disqualified (bankruptcy, recent sentences, gang links)
- 2
Prepare the attachments: CV, resident record with registered domicile, disqualification pledge, municipal identity certificate, plus articles and company register certificate for a company
- 3
Submit the notification for each office to the Prefectural Public Safety Commission via the local police station by the day before trading starts
- 4
Display the notification sign in the office and on the business website (unless 5 or fewer regular staff or no website)
- 5
Notify changes or closure within 10 days
Licensed somewhere else?
See whether you can take a case in Japan.
How to qualify
- Who holds the licence
- The agency (staff are registered under it)
- Training
- Operator must give employees the training needed for proper conduct of the business (Art. 11)
- Fees
- No fee: notification fees were abolished on 1 April 2024Fees change often: check the regulator's current schedule before you pay.
- Processing time
- Not published by the regulator
- Renewal
- No renewal; changes and closure must be notified within 10 days
- Continuing education
- No set hours; operators must give employees the training needed to conduct the business properly (Art. 11)
- Firearms
- Firearms not permitted for detective work: the Firearms and Swords Control Act allows civilian possession only for licensed purposes such as hunting and sport
Rules in the field
Recording conversations
One-party consent
You can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
Sources
Reference information, not legal advice. Confirm with the regulator before taking on work. Out of date? Tell us.
Questions about PI licensing in Japan
Do you need a licence to be a private investigator in Japan?+
Yes. Private investigators need a licence in Japan. Japan regulates detective businesses through notification, not a licence: under the 2006 Detective Business Act, operators must notify the Prefectural Public Safety Commission through the local police station by the day before trading begins, for each office. There is no exam or qualification, but bankrupts, people who completed a prison sentence or a fine under the Act within five years, gang members and their associates are disqualified. Operators must obtain a written pledge from each client that results will not be misused, issue pre-contract and contract documents, train staff and keep an employee register.
Who licenses private investigators in Japan?+
Prefectural Public Safety Commission (via the local police station), under 探偵業の業務の適正化に関する法律 (Act on the Proper Conduct of Detective Business, Act No. 60 of 2006).
Is there an exam for a private investigator licence in Japan?+
No state exam is required.
How often does a Japan PI licence need renewing?+
No renewal; changes and closure must be notified within 10 days
How much does a private investigator licence cost in Japan?+
No fee: notification fees were abolished on 1 April 2024
How do you get a private investigator licence in Japan?+
1. Check that you, and every officer of a company, are not disqualified (bankruptcy, recent sentences, gang links) 2. Prepare the attachments: CV, resident record with registered domicile, disqualification pledge, municipal identity certificate, plus articles and company register certificate for a company 3. Submit the notification for each office to the Prefectural Public Safety Commission via the local police station by the day before trading starts 4. Display the notification sign in the office and on the business website (unless 5 or fewer regular staff or no website) 5. Notify changes or closure within 10 days
Can a private investigator record phone calls in Japan?+
Japan is a one-party consent country: you can generally record a conversation you are part of without telling the others.
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