Tom comments

The behavior of the country's government and judiciary makes one kind of thankful that Japan is an island surrounded by water…

While Japan would like to pretend it is a country thats espects the rule of law, its record is one of arbitrary abuse of the basic principles of civilized nations. And even thoughit a signatory, it is blatantly in violation of the basic principles of the defense provided for by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and notably Article 14:

2. Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.

3. In the determination of any criminal charge against him, everyone shall be entitled to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:

(a) To be informed promptly and in detail in a language which he understands of the nature and cause of the charge against him;

(b) To have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and to communicate with counsel of his own choosing;

(c) To be tried without undue delay;

(d) To be tried in his presence, and to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing; to be informed, if he does not have legal assistance, of this right; and to have legal assistance assigned to him, in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by him in any such case if he does not have sufficient means to pay for it;

(e) To examine, or have examined, the witnesses against him and to obtain the at tendance and examination of witnesses on his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him;

(/) To have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court;

(g) Not to be compelled to testify against himself