The Osaka Detention House in Osaka s Miyakojima Ward in 2018 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
OSAKA The Osaka Bar Association is financially rewarding lawyers for fighting Japan’s infamous “hostage justice” practice, in which bail is typically granted only to suspects who admit to the allegations.
Under the unusual system set up in April, the association is paying up to 40,000 yen ($365) to attorneys who file a quasi-appeal against a court’s detention order.
“If more quasi-appeals are submitted, the courts may more frequently reject prosecutors’ requests (to keep suspects in custody),” said lawyer Nobukata Shimizu, head of the Osaka Bar Association’s Criminal Defense Committee. “We want to raise lawyers’ awareness so that suspects will not be detained unnecessarily.”
Lawyers, asylum seekers protest in Osaka over planned revision of Japan immigration law
May 6, 2021 (Mainichi Japan)
People march to protest against a planned draft revision to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in Osaka s Kita Ward, on May 5, 2021. (Mainichi/Rei Kubo) OSAKA Some 150 people participated in a demonstration in the city of Osaka on May 5 to protest the proposed revision of the Japanese immigration law, marching with signs containing messages such as, Don t make the immigration law worse. The draft revision to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, currently in Diet proceedings, would bring about strict measures to deport foreign nationals without residency status in Japan. March participants included lawyers, supporters and asylum seekers, as they walked in silence as part of measures to prevent coronavirus infections.