The majority of kids over 14 years old have them, spending hours surfing the internet or sending e-mails, without parental control. Now the government is asking for more parental supervision, and calling upon manufacturers to make more telephones that permit calling only.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The youngest Japanese students use their cell phones to surf the internet without supervision and to send e-mails, for many hours each day and with the risk of being lured into committing computer crimes.  Now the government has announced a campaign of sensitisation, explains state official Masaharu Kuba, for "parents who are giving cell phones to their children without giving it enough thought. In Japan, cell phones have become an expensive toy", with service costs of at least 4,000 yen (39 dollars) per month.

According to the education ministry, about one third of sixth grade students have cell phones, and 60% of those in the ninth grade.  These are mainly cutting edge, "third generation" devices, with high-speed internet connections. Kuba explains the young people are thus able to surf without any supervision.  Many spend hours every night exchanging e-mails with their friends.  A "30-minute rule" has even crept in: if a kid does not respond to an e-mail within 30 minutes, he will be put on a list to be teased by his classmates.

Kuba explains that other young people commit or are victims of crimes via the internet.  He recalls one boy who sent his photographs to a website, and received threats and demands for money.

In addition to the parents, the government is also calling upon cell phone manufacturers to make more telephones that have only calling functions and GPS (Global Positioning System, to identify one's exact position).

• Japan
• cell
• phones
• minors
• internet
• predators
• criminals
• crime