Japan Press Weekly

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2025 December 10 - 16 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP will work hard to revise criminal retrial system to save falsely accused victims

Japanese Communist Party lawmakers Nihi Sohei (Upper House) and Motomura Nobuko (Lower House) on December 10 took part in a rally held near the Diet building demanding a revision of the criminal retrial system to swiftly save victims of false accusations.

The JCP lawmakers delivered speeches in solidarity. They referred to discussions underway at the Justice Ministry Legislative Council on reviewing the retrial system currently in use. They criticized the council’s discussions for not aiming to provide redress for wrongfully convicted people. The JCP Dietmembers expressed their determination to submit and enact a cross-party bill to reform the retrial system.

Zukeran Atsushi, secretary general of the civil group which organized the rally, in his speech pointed out that in past wrongful conviction cases, investigative authorities concealed evidence proving the innocence of the wrongfully accused and prosecutors obstructed the launch of retrials.

He demanded that a bill be submitted and discussed in which the main pillar should be to have law enforcement authorities fully disclose all evidence they hold and to prohibit prosecutors from appealing court decisions granting retrials.

Past related article:
> Criminal retrial system should be revised to save victims of false accusation [March 15, 2023]