THREE AGENCIES ARE PRINCIPALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JAPANESE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM: THE POLICE, PUBLIC PROSECUTORS' OFFICES, AND CORRECTIONAL AUTHORITIES. POLICE OFFICES MAINTAIN IDENTIFICATION AND ARREST RECORDS, CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE AND INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION, AND OTHER DATA. THE PROSECUTORS' OFFICES KEEP CRIMINAL RECORDS INFORMATION TOGETHER WITH OTHER CORRECTIONAL AND RELEASE INFORMATION. THE CORRECTION AUTHORITIES MAINTAIN FINGERPRINT FILES AND PERSONAL RECORDS OF ALL INCARCERATED PERSONS. A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE POLICE SYSTEM IS ITS CAPACITY FOR PRODUCING A VARIETY OF ANSWER CHOICES EVEN WHEN THE INITIAL QUESTION IS IMPRECISE. INFORMATION IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM IS MOST FREQUENTLY USED BY THE POLICE (68 PERCENT OF THE INQUIRIES IN 1978). THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM, OPERATED JOINTLY BY THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND THE DISTRICT PUBLIC PROSECUTORS' OFFICES, IS USED PRIMARILY FOR AUTHENTICATION. MAINTENANCE OF CRIMINAL RECORDS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN JAPAN SINCE THE SENTENCE PRONOUNCED BY A JUDGE IS LEGALLY CONDITIONED BY THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE ON A DEFENDANT'S RECORD OF A CRIMINAL CONVICTION WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 5 YEARS. MOREOVER, LAWS DISQUALIFY PERSONS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS FROM HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICES. THE EVOLUTION, PROBLEMS, AND SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE CRIMINAL RECORDS INFORMATION SYSTEM ARE PRESENTED, AND ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT THE MISUSE OF INFORMATION WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE EFFICIENCY OF OPERATION ARE NOTED. NO REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)