Indicted mogul takes on Japan's 'hostage justice' system

paying around 69 million yen to Haruyuki Takahashi, a former Tokyo Olympics board member in charge of selecting sponsors for the pandemic-postponed 2020 Games.

I wonder whether Mr. Takahashi has been charged with accepting a bribe.

Mizuhara "led a regular life while facing trial, while in Japan, a trial system worthy of the European Middle Ages is left untouched", Kadokawa said.

If ever the Japanese injustice system is reformed it will probably come from a combination of a wealthy elite like Kadokawa who did not have the proper insider credentials like ex PM Mori or the head of Dentsu or the ex Nihon Uni presdient to escape bribery charges related to the Olympics.

And foreign pressure.

It is a pity for all the other victims who are yenless and powerless and do not have his voice or legal team.

It’s ironic that an old rich sleaze-bag like this might lead to better civil rights in Japan.

But Miranda was a career criminal and that scumbag ensured that all criminal defendants are made aware of their civil rights, so….

I have zero faith in the “justice” system in Japan. No lawyer present during questioning?! What is this, the year 1360 or something?

Suspects can be detained for up to 23 days per charge, re-arrests are common and bail requests are often denied 

Prosecutors may also interrogate a detainee without a lawyer during the 23-day period.

The 80-year-old publishing mogul was released on bail in April last year after more than seven months in detention.

I guess this 23-day interrogation without an attorney can run consecutively per additional charge, thus continuing for many months, which is simply inhumane for an 80-year-old wheelchair-bound man or even a 20-year-old healthy woman.

Well done Mr kadokawa. Japan's legal system is a complete mutation of what Japan's constitution intends.

In Australia there is presumption IN FAVOUR of bail.

Court looks at 1/ will the defendant appear for the next hearing 2/ Is their a risk of flight overseas /

3 /does the defendant pose a real risk to the community 5/ does the defendant have family or similar willing to board him and finally does the defendant have bond money himself and can/should someone else {family } contribute to the bond.

Thens their the concerns that a defendant needs to be outside on bail to arrange his defence.

Many times {timid } local courts refuse bail and the solicitor has to make Supreme Court bail application.

Most dont skip bail.

The fear and emotion of waiting for the Police rearrest 24 hours a day usually means submitting to arrest less stressful.

Having a "fail to appear " on your record means all the above discounted.

Bail refused !

Apply this to the above case and we can see the man would have been bailed , in Australia , but the Japanese system puts prosecution and punishment over the rights of a defendant

This is great for Japan - international awareness and pressure from outside (Gaiyatsu) will (again) force Japanese authorities to reform social and judicial reform in Japan.

Japan's 3rd world justice system is barbaric and inhumane.

The 80-year-old publishing mogul was released on bail in April last year after more than seven months in detention.

He says three other bail requests were denied during that time, but the fourth was granted by the Tokyo District Court, which set a bond of 200 million yen.

Firstly, SEVEN months in detention over bribery allegations and denied bail 3 times WITHOUT a confession? Secondly, 200 million yen bond?

He is EXTREMELY privileged cause any one of us would still be in detention, until confession for the most minor of crimes! And if, IF a J-judge found it in his cold heart to grant bail it would be so expensive it would be pointless! NOBODY but a rich Japanese business man or of immense fame and wealth would EVER get released on bail prior to a confession. I guess the judge denied bail 3 times so it wouldn't look so obvious that the injustice system was showing preferential treatment by releasing him without a confession. Good luck with the law suit though, he's got like a 0% chance of getting it settled in his favor and a 99.9% chance of getting convicted on the bribery charges!

He alleges that during his detention, he was repeatedly told by prosecutors that he would not be released until he admitted wrongdoing and that he was treated rudely and harshly to pressure him into making a confession.

Japan justice only rely on confession, not real evidence.

Mizuhara "led a regular life while facing trial, while in Japan, a trial system worthy of the European Middle Ages is left untouched", Kadokawa said.

Middle ages torture can be replaced by other way, for example denying someone medical needs while in detention. That's usually what happens, so people will desperate make confession.

https://www.wardsauto.com/nissan/former-nissan-executive-greg-kelly-recounts-japan-ordeal

Now that a super rich Japanese went through the “ hostage justice system of Japan “ they are shredding light on it!

People often wonder why Ghosn took matters into his own hands and escaped the country the way he did… lol !

The Toyota executives ( Ms. Julie Hamp ) was lucky to not be indicted back in 2015 despite being held in detention for 20 days or so. She also left Japan immediately after her release.

Any executive being sent to Japan for attachment needs to be very very careful as they might lose everything in their luxurious life if arrested and go through the same hostage justice system! For usual people ( not executives ) nobody would even bother talking about it if they are arrested and detained for months.

Mizuhara "led a regular life while facing trial, while in Japan, a trial system worthy of the European Middle Ages is left untouched", Kadokawa said.

Exactly. The so called Justice system in Japan is from the middle ages. The good thing is that this man is Japanese and he is saying what we have all been saying since Carlos escaped. No one can accuse him of being anti Japanese.

Yes. Let's call a spade a spade. The Japanese justice system is on par with China's.

Kept alone in a tiny 4.5 mat room with no lawyer, no window, no table, no chair, no bed, lights on 24/7, it's no wonder that so many in detention die. You lose the will to live. Come on Japan! We are in the 21st century!

Prosecutors still think hostage justice is the best way. This is a long time traditional way. They say they will never make mistakes. There are actually good prosecutors and bad ones. Bad prosecutors (may) change evidence to win the case as because the person is a very prime suspect, and prosecutors don't have perfect enough evidence though. It looks like prosecutors just don't like presumed innocence. Have to change this way soon, false accusations come out later.

the bribe taker is more of the criminal in this case.

ironically, the u.s. supreme court just ruled this week that giving money to a politician or government worker after the favor is performed is legal. they called it a “gratuity.”

you can’t make this stuff up.

I know this isn’t going to be a popular view, but, I think most justice systems favor the prosecution side and it is up to the people who fill the positions to behave ethically with the power they wield.

Take the plea bargaining that resolves most cases in the prosecution’s favor in the US, leading to a conviction rate that is quite high (over 80% in most jurisdictions, if I’m not mistaken).

This sort of situation initiating change may be the only way of changing things for ordinary Japanese people.

If I ever get in that situation then I’ll be requesting a wheelchair too

Demand for changes to the Japanese justice system have to come from advocates who are not currently being prosecuted by that very same system as that prejudices their point, even if objectively valid and supportable.

He has a strong case.

In Japan you are presumed guilty. Experienced this personally once myself, before managing to convince the crooks that I was telling the honest truth.

To be honest i am glad the rich get a taste of the justice system. If it were anywhere else, he would have lived like a king in detention full of luxury that his lawyer will demand and able to post bail with his wealth easily and be back home as if nothing happen.

It’s not a justice system. It’s a hostage system with the specific intent to force a confession. There has been several high profile cases in recent years and hundreds of cases that never made the news. Nobody should be subjected to extended periods of incarceration without being charged.

I once read an op-ed on this topic in the New York Times written by some Japanese professor.

His opinion was that westerners simply don't understand Japan's system of justice, which is based on the guilty coming to terms with their crimes. He tried to argue that Japan's was a more evolved and modern system, benefiting from its centuries old customs and traditions, and that the U.S. system is new and naive.

To me, Japan's system looks more like the middle ages in Europe. Think for example the Spanish Inquisition. "confess, and your spirit will be pure again!" which of course is forced by torture.

The justice system is more akin to dunking a witch in a river. If she dies she is innocent. If she lives she is guilty.

I am all behind him on this. The Japanese justice system seems awfully similar to the Chinese one.

 And if, IF a J-judge found it in his cold heart to grant bail it would be so expensive it would be pointless! NOBODY but a rich Japanese business man or of immense fame and wealth would EVER get released on bail prior to a confession. 

I'm not defending the system here, but just to clear one point up in case anyone ever ends up in the unfortunate position of being prosecuted: this is not accurate. The amount of bail money (hoshokin) is established by the Court on a case-by-case basis and is in relation to the assets the suspect owns. In this case the bail money was 200 million Yen specifically because Kadokawa is a wealthy person (Ghosn's bail was also quite high) and it needs to be enough to make it worthwhile for the accused to not violate the bail conditions for fear of losing it. If you are the average Joe then your bail would be set much lower than that.

Also, for anyone arrested, the possibility of bail only becomes available after the prosecutors have indicted you, which means you don't have the ability to apply for it during the 23 day detention period.

Ex-PM Mori next for the hostage justice system? No way, this is Japan, so everything is case by case.

I remember Ghosn said after his escape, "I am not escaping justice, I am escaping injustice."

Not surprising, Japan is still in Edo jidai...

Japan smh .

With all the downvotes on display here to posts critical of the system you might imagine that at least one defender of hostage justice would come on here and defend it.

was treated rudely and harshly

You can't sue for that. Petition to change the laws of Japan instead.

Ah so it happens to Japanese too

Almost as bad as the imaginary justice systems in China and North Korea. Almost. Yet still to close for comfort. What does that say for Japan. Nothing good I'm afraid.

Yes, the Japanese system of long extended detentions needs to change.

But I wouldn't want Japan to go too far in the other direction either -- as in Boston recently, where a Haitian migrant arrested for allegedly raping a disabled 15-year-old girl was released on $500 bail.

No, that's not a typo. It wasn't $50,000 or $5,000. It was $500. Five hundred dollars.

On a charge of raping a girl. A 15-year-old girl. Who's disabled.

Again, while I agree Japan's policies on these things need to be relaxed, let's hope they don't go the way of U.S. states and cities where the "progressives" run things.

Japan's crime rate would spike through the roof if that happened.