3 Notification to complainants and victims, etc.

When a public prosecutor prosecutes or makes a decision of non-prosecution in a case in which a complaint, etc. has been made, the public prosecutor must promptly inform the complainant, etc. of the decision. In the case of non-prosecution the public prosecutor must also promptly inform the complainant, etc. of the reason for that disposition if requested to do so.

Furthermore, public prosecutors inform the victims, etc. of the disposition, the date of public trial, and the sentence rendered if the victims, etc. request them to do so in cases where the victim was killed or other equivalent serious cases, as well as in cases in which public prosecutors, etc. have interviewed the victims, etc. In addition, and if requested by victims, etc. the pertinent information provided can include a summary of the facts that constitute the offense prosecuted, the principal reasons for non-prosecution, the progress of the trial, the release of inmates, etc., if they deem it appropriate. In 2009 notifications were provided on a total of 41,030 cases with regard to the result of the disposition, 23,357 on the fixed date for a trial, 35,952 on the sentence rendered, and 1,799 on the release of inmates (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).

This system was further enhanced in December 2007 to enable, in principle, the scheduled completion date of the term of sentence of inmates, matters regarding the status of treatment at penal institutions, and matters regarding the revocation of suspension of execution of the sentence, etc. to be made available by public prosecutors, matters regarding the commencement of parole examination and the decision of Regional Parole Boards by the Board, and any matters regarding the commencement/status/termination of probation/parole supervision to be provided by the directors of probation offices in notifications if requested by victims, etc. In 2009 notifications were provided in a total of 6,078 cases regarding the scheduled completion date of the term of sentence, 6,640 regarding the status of treatment at penal institutions, and 89 regarding revocation of the suspension of execution of the sentence, 2,389 regarding parole examinations, and 1,976 regarding the status of probation/parole supervision (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau and the Rehabilitation Bureau, Ministry of Justice).

In addition to this system, and in order to prevent re-victimization of victims, etc., public prosecutors can inform victims, etc. of the scheduled release date of inmates, etc. if they make a concrete request and the notification is deemed appropriate. In 2009, 487 victims, etc. received such notifications (Source: The Criminal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice).