Police and banks work together to speed up online account freezes and tracking in special fraud cases

Japan’s National Police Agency will launch an online inquiry system with financial institutions on June 1 to speed up fraud-related account tracking and freezes.

Nine major banks are participating, enabling prefectural police to quickly confirm destination accounts and request freezes after special fraud cases.

The new public-private framework aims to shorten response times for tracing stolen funds, improving recovery and investigation outcomes.

By replacing slower mail-based inquiries, the system is expected to reduce further losses and make cash recovery more effective.