Reforming Japanese Criminal Justice: Juries, Victims, and a Robust (?) Adversary System

Speaker: CEAS JAPAN COLLOQUIUM DANIEL H. FOOTE, Professor of Law, the University of Tokyo; Paul I. Terasaki Chair in US-Japan Relations, Uinversity of California, Los Angeles, 2009-2010 Over the past few years, Japanese criminal justice has undergone major reform. The most highly publicized change has been the introduction of the “jury” system. Less well known, but of great practical importance, are other reforms, including measures designed to strengthen the adversary system; measures recognizing interests of victims; and significant increases in penalties. Professor Foote has been following Japanese criminal justice for over twenty-five years. His talk will examine the roots of the reforms and the ills they were intended to remedy; the forces that led to their enactment and reaction to them; and the impact to date and future prospects.