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3 Notification to complainants and victims, etc.
When a public prosecutor prosecutes or makes a disposition of non-prosecution on a case in which a complaint, etc. has been made, the public prosecutor shall promptly inform the complainant, etc. of that fact. In the case of a disposition of non-prosecution the public prosecutor shall promptly inform the complainant, etc. of the reason for that disposition if so requested to do so.
A public prosecutor informs the victims, etc. of the prosecutor's disposition, the dates of the public trial, and the sentence rendered, if the victims, etc. had requested them in cases where the victim was killed or in other serious cases equivalent to that, as well as in cases for which public prosecutors, etc. have interviewed the victims, etc. In addition, if requested by victims, etc. the notifications may include a summary of the facts constituting the offense charged, the principal reasons for non-prosecution, the progress made in a trial, the scheduled completion date of term of imprisonment with or without work, and any matters concerning the release of offenders on parole or upon completion of their term of imprisonment, etc., if deemed to be appropriate. In 2008, notifications were provided on a total of 36,739 cases with regard to the result of the disposition, 21,283 on the fixed date for a trial, 31,728 on the sentence rendered, and 1,425 on the release of perpetrators (inmates) (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).
In December 1, 2007, the system was enhanced to allow the status of treatment of perpetrators after final judgments of convictions, etc. to be provided in a notification, in principle, if requested by victims, etc. The scheduled completion date of term of imprisonment with or without work, matters regarding the status of treatment of offenders imprisoned at penal institutions, and matters regarding revocation of suspension of execution of the sentence, etc. can all be provided by public prosecutors, along with matters regarding the commencement of examination for parole and the decision made by the Regional Parole Board, and matters regarding the commencement/status/termination of probation/parole supervision by the directors of probation offices. In 2008, public prosecutors provided notifications in total of 3,162 cases regarding the scheduled completion date of term of imprisonment, 2,582 regarding the status of treatment, and 61 regarding the revocation of suspension of execution of the sentence; the Regional Parole Board provided notifications in total of 1,884 cases, and the directors of probation offices 809 (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau and the Rehabilitation Bureau, Ministry of Justice).
Apart from this system, and in order to prevent further damage on victims, etc., public prosecutors may inform the victims, etc. of the scheduled release date of inmates, if they offer a concrete request and the notification is deemed appropriate. In 2008, 663 victims, etc. received such notifications (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).
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