Me my wife and 2 sons have been renting out our “mansion” in japan for about 1 year and 6 months, i’ve always been hearing that the owner will put cameras inside the home but have never done so until now. The owner wants to install one camera inside the front door which looks down and into the hall way which is conveniently next to the shower room & wants to put a camera in the living room as well. Only one was installed today which was the door/hallway/shower room camera. I have a billion questions but this isn’t right and feels like a complete invasion of privacy if that exists in japan. I am from america been in japan over 4 years but this is the first i’ve heard of this camera situation and i dont know what to do or ask or say or think of this situation i feel like im being put in. Is this at all legal for the mansion owner to do so?
Edit “may have been out of context but the camera is facing down the my hallway inside the house with the shower/wash room next to the hallway (shower room/wash room has 2 doors – 1 door for the sink/washer then 2nd for the shower room its self) but the camera is at its angle to where if the first door was open then it could see inside of the wash room not the shower room itself)
Edit “camera is from a 3rd party company”
25 comments
Tell the owner to pound sand
lol no.
I mean it’s legal if you agree to it though
I’m pretty sure that isn’t legal.
It might be legal for the owner to put up cameras in a shared hallway I think. Somewhere that is more a “public” space for the whole apartment and not a private abode. Think one focused on the mailbox. Or one focused on the street entrance.
I think if it’s in your apartment specifically you should consider contacting a lawyer, the threat of legal trouble should be enough to convince your landlord to pay for your moving costs.
I would not want to stay in that apartment anymore.
Next he’ll want one in your bedroom. Of course it’s illegal.
He’ll also want one fixed to the bidet also
WTF? Why’d you let him do that? Should’ve called the police when he came to install it!
If you were to put something over the camera lens, the owner couldn’t do shit about that.
I don’t believe a single word in this post.
That’s a serious invasion of privacy and a really bizarre request.
Just told this to my GF and she had zero complaints, so I guess sounds plausible your wife would react that way. I said isn’t that weird that the owner would do that and she said, “well probably in case of thieves” or whatever. Just replied いいんじゃない when I said it was weird and that if I wanted a camera for that reason I would do it myself.
Can’t help on the legality, but I definitely think it’s crossing a line. Also surprised that for people who like their privacy they would be okay with someone having access to a camera in their home.
Definitely a breach of privacy in Japan.
I would unplug them. Having a tape on them won’t prevent sound recording, or maybe even knowing when you are in or not (light differences). TBH I would ask the company to remove them as it’s a breach of privacy.
Even outside you appartment is under privacy regulation but easier to setup, and would be harder for you to fight.
But inside, with a potential view of the shower/private parts of the appartment? This is illegal…
Japan is very keen on privacy in a way, but people will always try to exploit those who won’t say anything.
and I thought my day was crappy…
Please tell me why you agreed to that, cause I really can’t wrap my head around it. Jesus.
Some people can’t be helped… 🤦♂️
It’s only legal if you agree to it, which apparently you have. The Privacy Act covers security cameras in common areas, essentially, if a camera is going to be installed inside of common areas, everyone needs to be notified, unless the purpose is for crime prevention.
I personally have no idea what kind of crimes will be committed in your shower, and from what you’ve shared, it is not a common area, so from my perspective, your landlord would need to obtain your permission.
Since you would like sources, here is the Privacy Act( **個人情報の保護に関する法律** ). [https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0000000057](https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0000000057)
Article 17 and 18 are relevant to your situation, they deal with the collection and handling of your personal information(under Japanese law, your face is part of your personal information).
Basically, they need to tell you why the camera is necessary inside of your home, and they themselves are not actually allowed to view it without your permission.
TL:DR – They said they were going to install a camera, you appear to have agreed to it(you said something about your wife handling the papers), your landlord appears to be obeying the law. It’s weird and creepy, but once again, you have agreed to it, so it’s not illegal.
PSA for the community – Do not sign agreements you do not understand
Of course not. And you want find a law to cite, much like you want find a law to cite that covers the legality of your landlord taking shits in your letterbox. You just say “no” to any such request.
Are you sure it was the owner and not some random creep claiming to be the owner?
Your asking if it’s legal to install cameras into a place where someone else lives…in a country that will show video of a crime scene’s location on the news, but literally blur out the entire screen?
Yep totally normal. He might also offer to have sex with your wife from time to time, it’s just a part of unique Japanese omotenashi culture and you shouldn’t disrespect it, not to mention that there’s no law in the books against it.
If I were you I’d talk with your wife because I think you might be missing some important detail here
So, I ran this question by a bunch of older folks (’50s, ’60s, ’80s) who have always lived in Japan and rented in various cities. Here are the consolidated comments:
It is illegal for the owner of the apartment to install the cameras inside your apartment without your permission. If they contacted you about it, and you agreed to do it, it’s not illegal. (Normally, the camera is installed outside the apartment, but sometimes it’s in the “gentian” (not gentian, as my English-oriented autocorrect “corrected” it to be LOL), and only facing the door.)
Second, there are some folks who actually request that security cameras be installed inside for safety reasons. Usually, the cameras are pointed at the door and balcony entries (i.e. places an intruder can enter). You can refuse the second camera without argument.
Third, do not destroy or damage the door/hallway/shower camera. Simply cover the lens or turn it away from anything private. Otherwise, you will have to pay for the equipment.
Hope this helps.
I had a security system while I was in Norway which had cameras inside the house. They would be enabled only if the alarm sounded, or we remotely asked the security company to check the house for us. We set the alarm code ourselves and the owner did not know the code.
In Japan, it is illegal for the owner to install cameras inside unless they have your approval.
No way this is real. No adult is this dumb.
Was at an onsen in Narusawa recently that had a bunch of them in the change room.
When I asked – it was “only to monitor theft” – hahahahahahaha good one!
Japan is very strange sometimes.
Wtf is wrong with you? Of course this isn’t legal. If you have him permission maybe it’s legal, but you wouldn’t be that dumb **right?** ***right???*** Why did you let them install it in the first place?
If he comes in and asks to sleep with your wife are you gonna let him and then make a new thread about that too? He’s already gonna see your wife naked so it’s not really a stretch….