Investigation Request from a Defendant Claiming Innocence

If you have been arrested in Japan,

you will have plenty to worry about. Japan has a 99.9% conviction rate. How does this happen? The police and prosecutors in Japan rely heavily on confessions. They will also make sure that they receive that confession. They will wear you down. The livelihood of the prosecutor depends on it. If he/she doesn’t keep his/her prosecution rate high, he/she could lose his/her job. It really has nothing to do with justice and obviously there are plenty of innocent people in that 99.9% conviction rate.

The language barrier

also doesn’t help any foreign defendants as well. Many people will wonder, why even have a trial if the system is rigged in favor of the prosecution? It is a legitimate worry and when foreigners get arrested in Japan, it leads to serious trauma because the system can be so different. The prosecutor is going to question you over and over again without a lawyer present in order to receive that confession signature. This is illegal in the USA.

The conditions in the jail aren’t exactly ideal either. Even by some miracle you are found not guilty, the prosecutor can appeal. In the USA, only the defendant can appeal. An appeal by the prosecution would be considered “double jeopardy” and is illegal. You can see just by these few examples how irate and confused a foreign defendant could become. Some consider Japan a “guilty until proven innocent” country.

Therefore,

you will need investigators on your side that can collect evidence and witness statements to help you and your attorney in your case.

At Family Investigation Agency, we have an investigator with criminal justice background that knows how to do this. In order to beat the odds, your case needs to be beyond solid. We can also help with attorney introduction. Foreigners will not know who to go to, and a lot of attorneys in Japan will play devil’s advocate for the prosecution. We will make sure that you have an attorney that will truly fight for you in your defense.

What is the process of these kind of cases?

First of all, you will need a consultation. This can be done in person or through your attorney. We will then hear the details of your case. A contract process will then happen.

After that, the investigation will start. Evidence will be looked at and witnesses will be interviewed. Other forms of data collection will happen as well. The information will then be presented to the defendant, the attorney, or both. You will be able to consult 24/7 through the entire process, and your case will be top priority.

Here are a few tips

if you find yourself arrested in Japan:

Try to find an international attorney licensed in both the USA and Japan. They are somewhat hard to find but they do exist. You need someone that can think a little outside of the box.

Don’t sign anything! It will be hard but if you are innocent, you must not sign a confession.

An attorney will not always be present but they are required to give you an interpreter! Even if you speak Japanese, request an interpreter because they can help you in an unofficial manner. Also, you don’t need to say anything. Just keep saying, “no lawyer, no talking.”

We look forward to helping you in this challenging time!