Japan to Discuss Retrial System Review

Tokyo, Dec. 20 (Jiji Press)--The Justice Ministry plans to start discussions as early as next spring to review Japan's retrial system for criminal cases in which guilty verdicts have become final, government sources said Friday.

Key issues in the discussions at the Legislative Council, which advises the justice minister, are expected to include the disclosure of evidence.

The Code of Criminal Procedure lacks detailed provisions on retrial procedures. This has been criticized as a reason behind the long times that were needed to start and complete retrials in past cases.

The ministry will pick agenda items for the Legislative Council, based on the outcomes of ongoing discussions by a panel of legal professionals and other experts.

The review will start following the acquittal of Iwao Hakamata, which became final in October, in his retrial over the 1966 murder of four members of a family in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. He took 44 years to prove his innocence after his death sentence became final.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]