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Japan’s police have adopted new advancements in technology to prosecute men who drug women for purposes of rape.
As reported in the Sankei Shimbun (April 26), the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has been working with a private company to develop a test kit that will enable rapid identification of so-called date rape drugs.
The new device — which has been designated “D1D plus” — is capable of displaying test results from a urine specimen within minutes.
D1D plus takes its name from MPD Investigation Section 1, which undertook the kit’s development project two years ago in response to crimes involving date rape drugs (DD).
The new test kit has resulted in at least one arrest so far. On March 15, Ikebukuro police arrested Takanori Matsumiya, 34, an employee at a cabaret club employee in Ikebukuro, on suspicion of “quasi-forcible indecent assault.”
At his apartment on the night of March 8, Matsumiya allegedly indecently assaulted a minor female co-worker by inducing her to imbibe a sports drink that had been laced with a powerful sleeping medication, rendering her unconscious.
The teen, however, managed to recall being subjected to an indecent act and consulted the Ikebukuro police department the next day.
The newly developed D1D plus was utilized for the test. It detected the sleeping medication from a urine specimen, leading to Matsumiya’s arrest.
According National Police Agency figures, the number of arrests for sex crimes involving use of sleep medications began increasing some years ago. Cases jumped five-fold, from 17 in 2012 to 85 in 2005, and since 2006 the number has ranged between 43 to 60 per year.
Police, however, believe many more incidents have gone unreported due to various factors, including the lengthy time required to obtain the test results.
In 2021, the MPD commissioned a private company to develop the new system, and last December some police stations began its provisional use.
D1D can determine the presence and type of date rape drugs in a matter of minutes — far more rapid than previous methods utilized by the police, which required between one week to one month to complete laboratory testing.
What’s more, D1D is capable of differentiating between types of medications, so if a victim had already been taking prescribed sleeping pills on a daily basis, distinctions could still be made between that medication and a date rape drug. Thus the new kit will not only accelerate initial investigations, but is expected to make it possible for police to proceed with investigations that had been previously been hindered due to the mixing of two different drugs.
Police have also pointed out that some victims of sex crimes had been hesitant to file complaints because they were uncertain whether or not they had been drugged. The quick response afforded by D1D plus is expected to provide appropriate support for victims who harbor such concerns.
As of April 25, D1D plus kits had been distributed to police stations nationwide, with the exception of five remote offshore islands.
“There may be those who are not sure if they had only been drinking too much, or if they are drug victims,” an investigator from Investigation Section 1 told the media. “We would like anyone who is worried to consult with us at any time. “
The MPD has set up a dedicated hotline number — #8103 (haatosan) — for those concerned they have fallen victim to a sex crime.
The Japanese text reads: “We want to be closer to your heart. Why don’t you consult with us, instead of worrying alone?”
© Japan Today
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