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Close Protection Officers in Tokyo | Licensed CPO Services

Licensed close protection officers in Tokyo under the Security Service Law. Operator-employed CPOs with NPA oversight. Discreet cover for senior executives and principals.

Tokyo’s close protection framework is unlike that of most Western markets in one fundamental respect: there are no individual CPO licences. The Security Service Law creates a company-licensing model in which CPOs operate as employees of authorised businesses, under National Police Agency oversight. For clients accustomed to verifying a named officer’s personal licence number - as they would with a UK SIA-licensed CPO or an Australian Class 1B holder - the Tokyo model requires shifting the verification focus from the individual to the operating company. The company licence is the relevant credential, and it is verifiable through the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

This structural difference does not represent a lower standard of regulation. The NPA-supervised company-licence model creates rigorous accountability through the employer entity, and the training requirements for security officers performing close protection functions are specified under the Security Service Law. The absence of a freelance market means that every Tokyo CPO is embedded in a regulated structure with ongoing supervision and professional standards obligations.

For secure transport services alongside personal protection, see our security drivers in Tokyo page. For the full threat assessment and service overview, visit the Tokyo city page.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Japan’s Security Service Law licences the business entity rather than the individual security officer. This reflects Japan’s broader regulatory philosophy, which places accountability on the company rather than creating a separate individual practitioner framework. The result is that CPOs in Japan operate as employees of licensed security companies, not as independent licensed professionals. For clients, this means the operating company’s licence and reputation are the primary quality indicator, rather than a personal licence number that can be checked in a public register. The licensing of the company is administered by the National Police Agency and prefectural police forces, and company licences are verifiable through those authorities.

No. A foreign CPO holding a UK SIA licence, US DCJS registration, or any other non-Japanese security credential cannot operate commercially as a security officer in Japan on the strength of those credentials. The Japanese Security Service Law requires that commercial security operations be conducted by or under the authority of a licensed Japanese security company. For international principals arriving in Tokyo with an existing CPO, the compliant options are: engaging a licensed Japanese operator for the Tokyo portion of the programme; or structuring the international CPO’s role as a personal assistant or travel escort without commercial security status in Japan. Legal advice on the specific structure should be obtained before implementation.

Tokyo’s ambient crime rate is among the lowest of any major global city. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office rates Japan as a country with very low levels of violent crime. The relevant threat factors for foreign executives and HNWI clients in Tokyo are more likely to include corporate intelligence activity (Japan’s significant technology and manufacturing sectors attract active economic espionage), occasional protest activity near government or corporate targets, and the logistical security risks of operating in a very densely populated urban environment. A CPO brief for Tokyo reflects these characteristics, with emphasis on counter-surveillance and discreet principal handling in crowded environments rather than crime-response protocols.

CPO cover through a licensed Japanese security company in Tokyo ranges from JPY 60,000 to JPY 130,000 per day for a single officer, depending on the engagement profile, the required language capabilities, whether advance work is included, and the specific experience level of the officer assigned. Bilingual CPOs with international executive protocol experience sit at the higher end of this range. Multi-day or extended programmes are typically priced on a programme basis. Rates as at June 2026 reflect the regulated, company-employed model and the professional standards required at the senior executive and HNWI level.
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