ACCELERATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. JAPANESE REPORT

• Authors: Ida M.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Rules for the acceleration of criminal procedures in Japan are based on the 'International Pact on Civil and Political Rights' (1979), numerous articles of the 'Japanese Constitution' (1946), the 'Code of Criminal Procedure' (1948) and the 'Regulation of Criminal Procedure' (1948) However, speediness is not regarded as the only purpose of the procedure. Finding the truth, the realization of the punishment aims and the undisturbed exercise of the rights of the accused are also important. According to the Japanese 'Code of Criminal Procedure' the custody of a suspect in preliminary proceedings is limited to maximum 23 days. Similarly, the widely -used suspension of the prosecution by a public prosecutor is also advantageous for a speedy trial. The obstacles to a speedy trial are: (1) the excessive use of protocols instead of direct testimony, (2) the small number of jurists, (3) the uneconomical criminal penal system, (4) the complexity of some remarkable cases. There are two special procedures serving the acceleration of trial, i.e. simplified main hearing (in case of confession) and a summary trial, which is used in 90% of cases punishable by fines. Another possibility will be offered by the planned reform of the main hearing.

Keywords

EN

JAPANESE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE; SIMPLIFIED MAIN HEARING; SPEEDY TRIAL; SUMMARY TRIAL; SUSPENSION OF THE PROSECUTION

Discipline

• LAW_&_ADMINISTRATION: LAW & ADMINISTRATION

• Publisher: The Kraków Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Archivum Iuridicum Cracoviense
• Year: 2004
• Volume: 37-38
• Pages: 261-271
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Ida M.

• Makoto Ida, Keio Law School, Tokyo, Japan

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

08PLAAAA04158097