Critical Online Posts Increase over Japan Retrial Reform

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “…the Judiciary System Research Commission…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Critical Online Posts Increase over Japan Retrial Reform Tokyo, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Social media posts critical of the Justice Ministry’s attitude are increasing over its proposed revision of the Code of Criminal Procedure to reform the retrial system in Japan, Jiji Press analysis shows. Many social media users took interest in the topic following an unusual development over the draft bill to revise the code, which would allow public prosecutors to appeal decisions to start a retrial. During the recent preliminary screening of the draft at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the draft drew severe objections, even angry outbursts, from some lawmakers. The debate is expected to reach its climax soon as the ministry hopes to ensure an early enactment of the revision. Jiji Press used social media analysis tool Brandwatch to investigate posts on X, formerly Twitter, containing terms such as “retrial” and “retrial law,” including reposts. From April 1 to 30, the total number of such posts reached 149,293. When the LDP began examining the text of the draft at a joint meeting of the Judicial Affairs Division and the Judiciary System Research Commission on April 3, only 1,378 posts were made. The daily number surged to 11,485 on April 6, when the debate became heated, and rose further to 12,875 the following day. Critical posts, which included terms like “opposition” and “terrible,” also increased on X. The count rose from 482 on April 3 to 4,180 on April 6. In April, such posts accounted for about 30 pct of the total. One post referred to “an abnormal situation in which only the Justice Ministry and the prosecution oppose (a proposed ban on appeals),” and another termed the issue as “a problem related to people’s lives and life paths.” The controversy intensified following an outcry made by former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Tomomi Inada, also a lawyer. “You won’t listen to what we’re saying. Not even a single millimeter,” Inada burst out at Justice Ministry officials at the start of a joint meeting on April 6 while media reporters were still present. This remark was spread quickly on X along with the keyword “Inada’s revolt.” At a joint meeting on April 15, House of Representatives member Yosei Ide got infuriated, saying: “We’re not doing this for the Justice Ministry. Don’t make fun of us.” On the next day, the number of related posts exceeded 10,000 again. In the second half of April, when there was no joint meeting on the retrial issue, the daily number ranged from 3,000 to 8,000. Widely used terms included “prohibition of appeals” in 26,000 posts, “problems” in 17,000 posts and “criticism” in 17,000 posts. “The judiciary and prosecutors have not reflected on themselves,” one post said, apparently bearing in mind the case of Iwao Hakamata, who was sentenced to death but was acquitted in a retrial decades later. It took about nine years for the court decision to start the retrial to become final because the prosecution appealed against the decision. The Justice Ministry aims to complete the preliminary screening at the LDP in early May as it hopes that the bill will be passed during the current parliamentary session ending in July. At the next joint meeting slated for Thursday, the ministry plans to present a revised draft that would ban prosecutors’ appeals in principle. But LDP members opposing appeals remain resolute in demanding a complete ban. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]