JAPAN: A NEW WIRETAP LAW Japan's first wiretapping law went into
effect, allowing authorities to use wiretaps when investigating crimes
involving narcotics, guns, gang-related murders and large-scale
smuggling of people into the country. Arguing for the law last year,
the police had described it as an essential tool in their fight
against organized crime. Critics -- mindful of Japan's history as a
police state before and during World War II -- had said the
wiretapping could be used against political rivals.