National Police Agency

The National Police Agency (警察庁, Keisatsu-chō) is an agency administered by the National Public Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office in the cabinet of Japan, and is the central coordinating agency of the Japanese police system.

Unlike comparable bodies like the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the NPA does not have any police officers of its own. Instead, its role is to determine general standards and policies, although in national emergencies or large-scale disasters the agency is authorized to take command of prefectural police forces. Policy for the NPA in turn is set by the National Public Safety Commission.