3 System of notification to complainants and victims

  When a public prosecutor prosecutes or makes a disposition of non-prosecution on a case for which a complaint has been made, the public prosecutor shall promptly inform the complainant of that fact. In case of a disposition of non-prosecution, the public prosecutor shall promptly inform the complainant of the reason for such disposition when so requested.
  A public prosecutor informs particular persons including victims of the result of prosecutor's disposition on the case, the dates of the public trial, and the result of the trial if they request, in cases where victims have been killed or other serious cases, as well as cases for which public prosecutors have interviewed victims, etc. If there is a request from victims, etc., notification may include a summary of facts constituting the offense charged, the principal reasons for non-prosecution, the progress of the public trial, the due time of imprisonment (meaning imprisonment with or without work or penal detention; hereinafter the same in this section) to be terminated, the date when the offender was released on parole or upon completion of the sentence of imprisonment. In 2007, notifications were given for 34,298 of the disposition results, 19,766 of the fixed date for the public trial, etc., 28,023 of the results of trials, and 2,478 of the release of sentenced inmates (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).
  Since December 1, 2007, this system has been enhanced so that the status of treatment of offenders after final judgments of convictions, etc. may also be notified, in principle, if requested by victims. Victims are notified of the scheduled date of completion of sentence of imprisonment with or without work, matters regarding the status of treatment of offenders imprisoned in penal institutions, matters regarding their release on parole or completion of sentence, etc., along with revocation of suspension of execution of sentence, by public prosecutors, matters regarding the commencement of examination on parole and its decision by the Regional Parole Board, and matters regarding admission to and status/completion of probationary supervision by the directors of the probation offices.
  Apart from this system, in order to prevent victims from receiving damages again, victims, etc. can be notified of the scheduled time of the release of perpetrators prior to their release, if they strongly request it and that notification is found appropriate, since October 2005. In 2007, 782 victims, etc. received such notifications (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).