Article 218

①Public prosecutors, public prosecutor's assistant officers or judicial police officials may, when it is necessary for the investigation of an offense, upon a warrant issued by a judge, conduct a seizure or search, issue an order to provide electronic or magnetic records, or conduct an inspection. In this case, the inspection and examination of a person must be conducted upon a warrant for physical examination.

②Where the article to be seized is a computer, and with regard to a recording medium connected via telecommunication lines to such computer, it may be reasonably supposed that such recording medium was used to retain electronic or magnetic records, which have been made or altered using such computer or electronic or magnetic records which may be altered or erased using such computer, the computer or other recording medium may be seized after such electronic or magnetic records have been copied onto such computer or other recording medium.

③When a public prosecutor, a public prosecutor's assistant officer or a judicial police official issues an order to provide electronic or magnetic records, they may, if necessary, with the permission of a judge, order the person who is to receive that order to provide electronic or magnetic records, for a period set not exceeding one year, not to disclose without good reason the fact of having received that order to provide electronic or magnetic records or the fact of having provided or not provided the electronic or magnetic records ordered to be provided by that order to provide electronic or magnetic records.

④When a suspect is placed under physical restraint, said suspect's fingerprints or a print of their feet may be taken, said suspect's height or weight may be measured and photographs of said suspect may be taken without the warrant set forth in paragraph (1), only when said suspect is not stripped naked.

⑤The warrant set forth in paragraph (1) is issued upon the request of a public prosecutor, a public prosecutor's assistant officer or a judicial police officer.

⑥The request for the permission under paragraph (3) must be made by a public prosecutor, a public prosecutor's assistant officer or a judicial police officer when making the request under the preceding paragraph.

⑦When a public prosecutor, a public prosecutor's assistant officer or a judicial police official has issued an order under the provisions of paragraph (3) and the need for it no longer exists, they must rescind the order, either on their own initiative or upon the request of the person who received the order.

⑧When a public prosecutor, a public prosecutor's assistant officer or a judicial police officer requests a warrant for an inspection and examination of a person, said public prosecutor, public prosecutor's assistant officer or judicial police officer must indicate the reason for the necessity of the inspection and examination, the sex and physical condition of the person to be inspected and examined and other particulars as provided in the Rules of Court.

⑨A judge may provide conditions that said judge deems appropriate for the inspection and examination of a person.