The 3rd
World Congress on Probation, September 13,2017
Opening Remarks
Excellencies, distinguished delegates,
ladies and gentlemen, I am Yoko Kamikawa, Minister
of Justice of Japan.
I would like to first extend a very warm
welcome to all overseas participants who have
traveled to Japan from approximately 40 countries
and jurisdictions.
Furthermore, I would like to take this
opportunity to offer my sincere gratitude to all
Japanese volunteers and practitioners for their
continuous assistance and support for offender
rehabilitation.
As most of you recall, the First World
Congress on Probation was held in London, and the
Second World Congress on Community Corrections was
held in Los Angeles. I am greatly honored to host
this Third World Congress on Probation here in
Tokyo, which is the very first congress to be held
in Asia.
The main theme of this Congress is
"Development of Probation and the Role of the
Community". Most people who have committed crimes
or juvenile delinquency return to our communities
in due course. Therefore, community-based
treatment is essential to prevent re-offending and
to promote reintegration into the community.
Japan’s history of community–based
treatment of offenders dates back to the late
nineteenth century, when a few philanthropists
started offering rehabilitation services for
discharged prisoners in Shizuoka Prefecture. Ever
since, many citizens and organizations such as
Volunteer Probation Officers, Offenders
Rehabilitation Facilities, Cooperative Employers,
members of the Women’s Associations for
Rehabilitation Aid and the BBS Association have
continually played crucial roles in the prevention
of re-offending and the reintegration of offenders
into the community. I believe their efforts have
greatly contributed toward Japan’s goal of
becoming the "the Safest Country in the World".
In Japan, Volunteer Probation Officers are
especially important to the realization of this
goal. These citizen-volunteers are well
acquainted with the situation and customs of their
communities, and they engage in their work with the
spirit of social service.
Approximately 48,000 Volunteer Probation
Officers across the country are committed to
assisting in the rehabilitation of as many as
73,000 probationers and parolees annually.
They are assigned to any one of approximately 900
probation districts for Offenders Rehabilitation
throughout the country.
In most cases, since probationers and their
assigned Volunteer Probation Officers live in the
same communities, they can make immediate contact
with each other. Volunteer Probation Officers
interact with offenders and juvenile delinquents
as neighbors rather than as government officials.
As fellow citizens and volunteers, they
attentively listen to their concerns and wishes.
Volunteer Probation Officers give thoughtful
consideration to the establishment of mutual trust,
and offer guidance to probationers and parolees
—at times nicely, at times strictly. This sincere
guidance and support encourages many probationers
and parolees to regain self-respect, re-enter the
community and live their lives independently
without reoffending. Furthermore, after the
expiration of probationary supervision, some
Volunteer Probation Officers continue to serve as
trusted counselors for the ex-probationers and
ex-parolees who they used to supervise.
In addition, Volunteer Probation Officers
organize Volunteer Probation Officer’s
Associations in each probation district.
Volunteer Probation Officers, in cooperation with
other members of the associations, also take on
leadership roles for a variety of crime prevention
and youth development activities in the community,
including, holding meetings on drug abuse and
juvenile delinquency with local residents.
Through such active community activities,
Volunteer Probation Officers make every effort to
create a brighter society free of crime and
juvenile delinquency; furthermore, their efforts
to engage local residents in crime prevention
activities help create an inclusive society.
Volunteer Probation Officers are motivated by
their warm concern for their neighbors and their
desire to give back to the communities in which
they live. Their valuable activities
significantly contribute to maintaining safe and
secure communities, and to the enhancement of
community-based treatment of offenders.
At the same time, the government of Japan has
assigned the task of tackling reoffending as one
of its highest priorities in order to ensure the
safety and security of its communities, placing
special emphasis on the "rule of law" and
"protection of human rights".
Among a variety of government policy
protocols, firstly, in July 2012, the policy
entitled "Comprehensive Measures for the
Prevention of Repeat Offenses" stipulates
efforts of the government for recidivism
prevention. This strategy was the first to set a
numerical target to "decrease the rate of inmates
who become re-imprisoned within two years of
release from prison by more than 20 percent by
2021".
Secondly, in December 2014, the government
approved the declaration entitled "No Return to
Crime, No Facilitation of a Return to Crime —
Toward a Bright Society with Everyone Supporting
Rehabilitation". The declaration emphasizes that
it is essential to create a social environment
where offenders can smoothly "re-enter" the
community as responsible members of society. This
declaration promotes the efforts of the country to
secure jobs and housing for those who return to
society from prisons. Lastly, in December 2016,
"The Act Pertaining to Promotion of Recidivism
Prevention" was enacted.
With the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
approaching, the government, local authorities,
and the private sector will work together to
achieve Japan’s goal of becoming the safest
country in the world. For example, through the
development of a detailed roadmap, the government
will continue to tackle reoffending in a
well-planned and comprehensive manner
These efforts are founded on the principle
that "No one will be left behind", which is the
essential idea of the "Sustainable Development
Goals" adopted in 2015 by the United Nations. We
believe that this World Congress will be a first
step in the worldwide promotion of the principle
that "No one will be left behind" throughout the
field of community-based treatment of offenders.
During this World Congress, I look forward
to sharing with you Japan’s experiences and
accomplishments in the field of offender
rehabilitation. We are very proud of the role the
community has played in developing and promoting
offender rehabilitation. I hope that each of you
may find something useful in these experiences
that you can take home and apply.
Also, by sharing the experiences of each
country and embracing these experiences with an
open mind, it is my great hope that this World
Congress achieve its goal to promote and develop
community-based treatment, and that it will
broaden and strengthen global, professional and
personal networks in this field.
Last but certainly not least, I wish you all
a successful Congress and a wonderful time during
your stay in Japan.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.