Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, but violent crimes still exist.Some wanted criminals have bounties put on them and have been on the run for over 20 years.

However, the only clues are the old photographs at the beginning of the investigations. With no signs of capture, public interest has diminished.

We used the latest AI-powered image analysis technology to predict the current appearance of wanted criminals based on their past photos and available information, and created a campaign website and posters.

To generate the predicted appearance of wanted criminals, we used three artificial intelligence models: Aging transformation, texture transfer, and image comparison.

We generated nine patterns of predictions for each criminal, with consideration of changes in body shape.

In everyday life, we rarely are concerned about the existence of wanted criminals. By introducing a new technology called "AI technology that generates the current forecast of present appearances" into the investigation process, the news-worthiness was enhanced and many people were made aware of the existence of wanted criminals.

To generate the predicted appearance of wanted criminals, we used three artificial intelligence models: Aging transformation, texture transfer, and image comparison.

We generated nine patterns of predictions for each criminal, with consideration of changes in body shape, and showcased them on a campaign website.

In addition to the annual production of posters by the police, 10,000 posters for this project were also displayed at police stations all across Japan. As a lead-up to "Wanted Criminals Investigation Reinforcement Month" of November, we launched the project at the end of September 2020.

What we did in this project is extremely simple. We updated the old photos of the wanted criminals to what they are supposed to look like today.

This subtle awareness and action sparked further actions from Japan's largest Internet media company Yahoo! JAPAN and the National Police Agency.

Not only has the project been covered by numerous news programs and media, it has also led to special features in documentary-style variety programs that solicit information from the public in real-time.

Ultimately, the project reached more than 200 million people in total and realized an update of the conventional investigation method.