48 Pct of Japanese Back Prosecutors’ Retrial Appeal: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, May 21 (Jiji Press)–A Jiji Press public opinion poll showed Thursday that 48.6 pct of respondents back a system in Japan allowing public prosecutors to appeal against court orders granting retrials. Meanwhile, 25.3 pct said that the system is unnecessary, and 26.1 pct said neither or that they do not know. Survey participants provided their answers after they were informed that the start of a retrial may be delayed if prosecutors file an appeal. On Friday, the government submitted to the Diet, the country’s parliament, a criminal procedure law amendment to reform the nation’s retrial system. The bill calls for prohibiting prosecutors from appealing against court decisions to grant retrials except in cases where there are sufficient grounds. Some lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party had pushed for a complete ban, resulting in the government revising its draft of the bill three times. The survey showed that 51.2 pct of LDP supporters think the system allowing prosecutors to file appeals is necessary. The proportion of respondents in favor of the system surpassed that of those having the opposite view among supporters of the Japan Innovation Party, the coalition partner of the LDP, as well as the Centrist Reform Alliance and Komeito in the opposition camp. On the other hand, the percentage of people who do not believe the system is necessary exceeded that of those in favor among supporters of the Democratic Party for the People and the Japanese Communist Party, both opposition parties. The proportions were almost evenly matched among supporters of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Conducted for four days through Monday, the interview-based survey covered 2,000 people aged 18 or over nationwide. Valid responses came from 58.6 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]