Japan forces Google climbdown on Street View

cameras attached to the Street View car were "too high" for Japanese buildings, allowing them to see over walls into private areas.

Street View is an add-on to Google Maps and Google Earth that offers photographs of streets and cities and was launched in the UK in March. However the service has come in for much criticism after it was revealed a number of inappropriate images displaying police arrests and even a drunk man wearing antlers were available on the service.

Google has had to promise to lower the cameras on its cars by 40cm.

Google said it would make "locally appropriate modifications to ensure a better user experience".

"We have lowered the height of the camera due to the unique characteristics of many Japanese roads; they tend to be narrow, without pavements and driveways, and houses are built close to the street," the statement said.