kottabaz t1_j46l9l4 wrote on January 13, 2023 at 3:02 PM

Reply to comment by Numbskull_b in Japanese prosecutors charge man with murdering former prime minister Shinzo Abe by Nether_Button

This has more to do with prosecutors declining to take cases they aren't certain of convicting than it does with anything else.

EDIT: You can downvote all you like, it doesn't change the fact that prosecutors' offices in Japan are widely understaffed, and that prosecutors drop most cases instead of even trying to indict. I'm sure you've heard all sorts of dumb stories by disgruntled expats, but the statistics show the truth.

bettinafairchild t1_j46x2vf wrote on January 13, 2023 at 4:18 PM

Not really. They have a huge rate of confession because they can hold you a very long time without allowing a lawyer. They will just keep you awake, constantly questioning you until you confess. They also don’t have jury trials, so a judge decides, and it turns out judges in Japan really frequently choose to convict.

terminalzero t1_j479yse wrote on January 13, 2023 at 5:37 PM

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/468111?journalCode=jls

bettinafairchild t1_j47ch9j wrote on January 13, 2023 at 5:52 PM

I suggest you check out the reputation of Mark Ramseyer, co-author of that piece. Doesn't mean he's wrong, but it raises questions about his integrity and abilities.

The_Barnanator t1_j46u0eh wrote on January 13, 2023 at 3:59 PM

The same is true of US federal prosecution

kottabaz t1_j47a5fp wrote on January 13, 2023 at 5:38 PM

The same is true of most countries.

(The US is distinctive in its enormous reliance on plea bargaining, however.)