A crime victim may not only notify the investigating authorities of the incident by furnishing an incident report but also notify a public prosecutor or judicial police officer of the facts of an offense, and make a complaint to request that the offender be punished.
  Both incident reports and complaints trigger investigation by the authorities. However, complaints shall constitute a condition of prosecution of offenses such as rape, indecent assault, defamation and destruction of objects. A public prosecution may not be instituted against these offenses that are to be prosecuted upon complaints if no complaint is made or the complaint is withdrawn.
  In the case of such offense that is to be prosecuted upon complaint, a complaint may only be filed within 6 months from the date when the victim identifies the offender in principle. However, in the case of sexual offenses such as rape and indecent assault, it is often difficult for the victim to decide to make a complaint within a short period of time due to the mental trauma caused by the offense. In light of this, the Law for Partial Amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Law for the Inquest of Prosecution has abolished the deadline for making complaints against such offense.