2022MIN
ISTRYOFJUSTICEOFJAPAN
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
OF JAPAN
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
OF JAPAN5In order to live in this community it is necessary to have rules and regulations.
Such rules ensure that family relationships, such as parents and children or brothers and
sisters are accurately registered; that people can live safely within the community; and that
ordered materials can be obtained without fail.
Furthermore, to preserve peace and order in society, it is also essential that persons who
harm others or commit a crime are appropriately punished.
The Ministry of Justice not only prescribes such basic rules applicable in society but also
creates basic judicial framework under which the rules are adhered to. It also assumes
responsibility for a broad range of legal work under which those who have been punished
are assisted in their resocialization processes.
The Ministry also oversees the management of a system to help citizens exercise their
personal rights, such as the registratioan of real estate and notarization.
Other important duties of the Ministry of Justice are to ensure that the immigration
control of those entering or leaving Japan is dealt with in an appropriate manner, the basic
human rights of individuals are respected, and intelligence activities are carried out for the
purpose of public security.
The Ministry of Justice is
closely connected to every
member of the community.2MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
法 が ま も る し あ わ せ
Contents
About the Ministry of Justice
Structure, Historical Background,
Number of Personnel of budget base, and Budget
Outline of the Organization
Internal Departments of the Ministry of Justice
Special Agencies (Public Prosecutors Office)
Facilities
Extra-Ministerial Bureaus
(Immigration Services Agency, Public Security Intelligence Agency,
Public Security Examination Commission)
Qualifications and Employment
Qualification Examinations
Employment Examination for Services
The Ministry of Justice is Connected with Everyone’s Life
Making the Ministry of Justice More Familiar
●くろまるVisit
Ministry of Justice Museum and the Message Gallery
Let's Visit the Ministry of Justice!
●くろまるMain Weekly and Monthly Events of the Ministry of Justice
●くろまるKids Room
Toward Japan as
"the Safest Country in the World"
Establishing the Safest Country in the World
Comprehensive Measures to Prevent Recidivism
Enhancing Guidance According to Each Offender's Characteristics
Creating a Place to Belong and Work in the Community
Declaring "No Returning to Crime, No Facilitating Other's Return to Crime"
-We Will Work Toward a Bright Future in a Society Where We All Support Rehabilitation-
Emergency Measures to Prevent Recidivism by Persons with
Drug Dependencies, Elderly Offenders, and Others
–Establishment of a Long-Term Support Network to Facilitate Rehabilitation–
Act for the Prevention of Recidivism & Recidivism Prevention Plan
Acceleration Plan for Recidivism Prevention Plan -Toward the Improvement of "Long-term"
Support, such as the Countermeasures forThose Released on Completion of their Full Prison Sentence-
Efforts to Achieve Safety and Security
Support for Crime Victims
Efforts Concerning Prevention of Child Abuse in the Ministry of Justice01Immigration Control and
Residency Management
Smooth and Strict Immigration Screening
Proper and Smooth Acceptance of Foreign Nationals
Promotion of Measures against Illegal Residents to Realize a Safe and Secure Society
Proper Protection of Refugees
Development of an Environment of Acceptance of Foreign Nationals to Realize a
Society of Harmonious Coexistence02Promotion of Judicial System Reform
Ensuring that the Results of Justice System Reforms Take Root
Promotion of Translation of Japanese Laws
Establishing a New Criminal Justice System that Keeps Pace with the Times
Enrichment and Development of Law-Related Education
Saiban-in System03Realization of Basic Rights for People
Legal Affairs Bureau
System for Documenting Your Rights
Development of basic civil laws
Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
(Human Rights Counseling, Investigation and Remedy procedures,Human Rights Awareness Raising, and More)
Legal Services
Implementation of the Comprehensive Legal Support by theJapan Legal Support Center04Enforcement of Proper Criminal Policy
Process of Criminal Cases Committed by Adults
Handling Juvenile Crimes and Delinquencies
What is Offender Rehabilitation?
Medical Treatment and Supervision Measures for Persons Who Have
Caused Serious Cases under the Condition of Insanity
Facilitating the activities of cooperating members of the private sector
Improvement and Enhancement of Treatment in Correctional Facilities
Further Improvement of Juvenile Correction05Justice Affairs Diplomacy
Promotion of "Justice Affairs Diplomacy" by the Ministry of Justice of Japan
and its future prospects
Implementation of the Kyoto Declaration adopted at the 14th UN Congress on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Promotion of International Cooperation
International Arbitration in Japan
Strengthening efforts in the field of International Dispute Resolution
Active engagement of officials of the Ministry of Justice in foreign countries06Unified and Appropriate Resolution of
Disputes Involving Japanese Government
Litigation Bureau073569111213141516171921222324282931324142434950515345464744333537383940
Volunteer Probation Officer
Screening Commission(50)
Judicial System
Department
Judicial System Division
Examination and Supervision Division
Figures in parentheses show the number of organizations (as of Apr. 2022)
Minister’s Secretariat
Civil Affairs Bureau
Criminal Affairs Bureau
Correction Bureau
Rehabilitation Bureau
Human Rights Bureau
Litigation Bureau
Supreme Public
Prosecutors Offices
High Public
Prosecutors Offices (8)
District Public
Prosecutors Offices (50)
Branch High Public
Prosecutors Offices (6)
Branch District Legal
Affairs Bureaus(261)
Legal Affairs
Bureaus(8)
Branch Offices(103)
District Legal
Affairs Bureaus(42)
Branch District Public
Prosecutors Offices (203)
Local Public
Prosecutors Offices (438)
Regional Correction
Headquarters(8)
Regional Parole Boards(8)
Branch Probation
Offices(3)
Probation Offices(50)
Branch Institutes(7)
Training Institute
for Correctional Personnel
Branch Institutes(7)
Research and Training
Institute of the Ministry of Justice
Secretarial Division
Planning and Recidivism
Prevention Promotion Office
Public Relations Office
EBPM Promotion and Information
Systems Management Office
Records Management Office
Personnel Division
Finance Division
Auditing Office
Building Management Office
International Affairs Division
Facilities Division
Technical Development and Engineering Office
Director of the Welfare Division
General Affairs Division
Registry Information Management Office
Registry Information Center
Civil Affairs First Division
Civil Affairs Second Division
Land with Unknown Owners Prevention
Promotion and Planning Office
Commercial Affairs Division
Director of the Civil Legislation Division
General Affairs Division
Research and Planning Office
Criminal Affairs Division
Public Security Division
Director of the Criminal Legislative Division
Director of the International Affairs Division
General Affairs Division
Inspection Office
Prison Service Division
Security Office
Juvenile Treatment Division
Director for Rehabilitation Support
Director for Medical Care
General Affairs Division
Rehabilitation Service Development Division
Community-based Collaboration and
Social Reintegration Support Office
Supervision Division
General Affairs Division
Human Rights Promotion and Protection Office
Investigations and Remedies Division
Human Rights Promotion Division
Litigation Planning and Coordination Division
Research Office
Civil Litigation Division
Administrative Litigation Division
Tax Litigation Division
Litigation Policy Support Division
Minister of Justice
State Minister
of Justice
Vice-Minister
of Justice
Parliamentary
Vice-Minister
of Justice3About the Ministry of Justice Structure, Historical Background,
Number of Personnel of budget base, and Budget
ORGANIZATION
OF THE MINISTRY
OF JUSTICE
Evaluation Commission
of the Japan Legal Support Center
Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice
Public Prosecutors and Notaries Public
Appointment Examination Committee
Penal Institution
Visiting Committee(73)
Juvenile Training School
Visiting Committee(40)
Juvenile Classification Home
Visiting Committee(44)
National Offender Rehabilitation Commission
Public Prosecutors’ Qualification
Examination Committee
National Bar Examination Commission
Internal organs
of the Ministry
Extraordinary
organs
Facilities Local branch offices
of the Ministry
Independent
organs
Councils
Prisons (59)
Juvenile Prisons (6)
Detention Houses(8)
Juvenile
Training Schools (40)
Branch Juvenile
Training Schools (6)
Branch Prisons (8)
Branch Detention
Houses (97)
Juvenile
Classification Homes (44)
Branch Juvenile
Classification Homes (8)
Women’s
Guidance Home (1)
Public Security
Examination Commission
Public Security
Intelligence Agency
Training Institute of the Public Security
Intelligence Agency
Public Security
Intelligence Bureaus(8)
Public Security
Intelligence Offices (14)
(6) (55)
Immigration Detention Facilities
Visiting Committee(2)
Immigration Centers (2) Branch Offices (6)
District Immigration
Offices (7)
Regional Immigration Services Bureaus (8)
Branch Offices (55)
Immigration Services Agency4 The MOJ FY 2022 Budget comprises a general budget of
743.8 billion yen and 0.2 billion yen for the "Special Account
for Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake".
Personnel costs comprise 69.9% of the general budget.
1871 ●くろまる Shihosho established
1947 ●くろまる
Separated from Shihosho, came under the
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
1948 ●くろまる Homucho established (Shihosho abolished)
1949 ●くろまる
Renamed Homufu (with 3 director-gener-
als and 11 bureaus)
1952 ●くろまる
Renamed the Ministry of Justice
(with Minister’s Secretariat and 7 bureaus)
2001 ●くろまる
Reorganization of the central government
(with Minister’s Secretariat and 6 bureaus)
2015 ●くろまる
Litigation Bureau established(with Minis-
ter’s Secretariat and 7 bureaus)
2019 ●くろまる
New Establishment of
Immigration Services Agency
(Minister’s Secretariat, 6 Bureaus))
AbouttheMinistryofJustice
Historical Background
Note: Special officers are included in the Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice
Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice
Legal Affairs Bureaus
Public Prosecutors Offices
Correctional Institutions
Probation Offices and Regional Parole Boards
Immigration Services Agency
Public Security Examination Commission
Public Security Intelligence Agency
OrganizationName524848,918
11,863
23,598
1,828
6,18141,740
Total 55,040
Number of Personnel of budget base (FY 2022)
Budget (FY 2022)
Personnel Costs
519.7
69.9%
Other
Non-Personnel
Costs
199.8
26.8%
Facilities Costs24.33.3%
FY 2022
Budget
743.8
Human Rights Bureau5◎にじゅうまるInternal Departments of the Ministry of Justice
About the Ministry of Justice
Minister’s Secretariat
Outline of the Organization
Criminal Affairs Bureau
The Criminal Affairs Bureau is responsible for the planning
and drafting of criminal legislation, such as the Penal Code and
the Code of Criminal Procedure; affairs regarding prosecution;
and affairs regarding extradition of criminals and fugitives as
well as mutual international legal assistance.
Corrections Bureau
The Corrections Bureau is responsible for matters concerning
the treatment of inmates,
including security,
prison work,
educa-
tion,classification,medical treatment,and hygiene in correction-
al institutions (prisons,juvenile prisons,detention houses,juve-
nile training schools, juvenile classification homes, and the
women’s guidance homes); the planning and drafting of correc-
tional legislation; the organization and management of correctional
institutions; and the international transfer of sentenced persons.
Rehabilitation Bureau
The Rehabilitation Bureau is responsible for the administra-
tion matters concerning community-based offender rehabilita-
tion including the parole examination of correctional institution
inmates, probation and parole supervision (for both adults and
juveniles), crime prevention activities, pardons, measures for
crime victims, and the medical supervision and treatment for
persons who have caused serious cases under the condition of
insanity.
The Human Rights Bureau promotes and protects fundamen-
tal human rights, and as such is in charge of investigating and
remedy procedures for human rights violation cases, providing
human rights counseling services, and conducting human rights
awareness-raising activities. As field offices of the Bureau, there
is a Human Rights Department in each Legal Affairs Bureau and
a Human Rights Division in each District Legal Affairs Bureau. In
addition, Human Rights Volunteers, who are private citizens ap-
pointed by the Minister of Justice, are placed in each municipal-
ity (including the special wards) across the country.
Litigation Bureau
The Litigation Bureau deals with civil and administrative law-
suits in which the State is a party. The Litigation Bureau is also
in charge of giving legal advice upon requests from government
ministries and agencies concerning cases which may lead to
legal disputes (so called "Preventive Legal Support System"). In
addition, it is responsible for dealing with lawsuits involving local
public entities, independent administrative institutions, and oth-
er public corporations as prescribed by Cabinet orders in cases
where such lawsuits are found to be related to the interests of
the State.
▲さんかく
Secretarial Division
The Secretarial Division is in charge of secretarial and admin-
istrative work for the Minister of Justice, overall coordination of
administration of each department, clerical work pertinent to
the National Diet, public relations, and more.
▲さんかく
Personnel Division
The Personnel Division is in charge of the general affairs of
the National Bar Examination Commission and clerical work ac-
companying its exams, as well as clerical work related to human
resources such as the number of regular employees, and the
appointment and dismissal of employees.
▲さんかく
Finance Division
The Finance Division is in charge of budget creation, execu-
tion, payment, and auditing accounts, as well as the revenues
and expenditures of the Ministry of Justice.
▲さんかく
International Affairs Division
The International Affairs Division is in charge of developing
basic policy and overall coordination concerning international
affairs of the Ministry of Justice, hosting international confer-
ences and arranging courtesy calls for officials from abroad,
among other things.
▲さんかく
Facilities Division
The Facilities Division engages in the design, construction
work, and maintenance of facilities under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Justice, and also cooperates internationally with for-
eign governments to build correctional institutions.
▲さんかく
Director of the Welfare Division
The Director of the Welfare Division is in charge of clerical
work pertinent to mutual aid associations, benefits, and welfare,
as well as enhancing the efficiency of pension and accident
compensation for employees.
▲さんかく
Judicial System Department
The Judicial System Department is in charge of conducting
research and studies as well as drafting of laws and regulations
on the judicial system; clerical work related to collecting, filing,
compiling and publishing of data on laws and regulations, court
precedents and legal affairs; the administration of the Legisla-
tive Council of the Ministry of Justice; the administration of the
Ministry of Justice Library and the Ministry of Justice Museum
and the Message Gallery; the compilation of statistics on the
work handled by the Ministry; matters concerning comprehen-
sive legal support; matters concerning law-related education;
matters concerning the qualification of attorneys-at-law (ben-
goshi) certified by the Minister of Justice; matters concerning
foreign lawyers registered as "Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi"
(Gaiben); matters concerning the examination of license and au-
thorization and the supervision of claim management and col-
lection companies (servicers); and matters concerning the cer-
tification of private dispute resolution services.
The Civil Affairs Bureau is responsible for handling affairs
related to registration systems for companies and real estate,
family registration, nationality (citizenship), deposit services,
storage of will, notarization, judicial scriveners, land and
house investigators, and planning and drafting of civil legisla-
tion, such as the Civil Code, the Commercial Code, and the
Code of Civil Procedure.
Civil Affairs Bureau6tribute to smooth trial proceedings by detaining and preventing
the destruction of evidence, while paying due respect to the de-
fendants’ basic human rights.
Penal institutions consist of prisons, which confine inmates
sentenced to imprisonment with or without work; juvenile pris-
ons, which confine sentenced juvenile inmates; detention centers,
which confine mainly unsentenced inmates, such as defendants
or suspects whose criminal sentences have not been confirmed.
The treatment of sentenced persons aims at their rehabilitation
and smooth return to society, and for this purpose, they are tak-
en into the most suitable institution based on psychological ex-
amination regarding personality and social adjustment. The insti-
tutions draw up treatment plans deemed most suitable for
individual sentenced person and perform the various tasks in-
volved, including vocational training, life guidance, educational
programs, and more.
In addition, the Ministry is actively introducing new treatment
techniques, such as the adoption of "open treatment" measures
at some prisons, including Ichihara Prison and Ooi Shipyard Pris-
on Camp (of Matsuyama Prison).
The treatment of defendants awaiting trial is intended to con-
◎にじゅうまるSpecial Agencies (Public Prosecutors Office)
◎にじゅうまるFacilities
Fuchu Prison
Public Prosecutors
Penal Institutions
(Prisons, Juvenile Prisons, Detention Houses)
AbouttheMinistryofJustice
In criminal cases, public prosecutors have the power to investi-
gate any criminal offense, decide whether or not to prosecute,
request proper application of law by courts and control/super-
vise the execution of judgments, and furthermore, as representa-
tives of public interest, are given additional authority by the Civil
Code and other laws.
Prosecutorial power is exercised for the purpose of maintain-
ing law and order of the nation and society, and the exercise of
prosecutorial power is based on principles of strict fairness and
impartiality, and cases are handled with due respect to the hu-
man rights of suspects.
Public Prosecutors Office
The function of the Public Prosecutors Office is to exercise
control over all the work handled by public prosecutors, with of-
fices consisting of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office (To-
kyo), the High Public Prosecutors Offices (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,
Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo and Takamatsu), the Dis-
trict Public Prosecutors Offices (one each in the 46 prefectures
except Hokkaido, where, because of the large size of its adminis-
trative area, there are four offices) and Local Public Prosecutors
Offices (one each in major cities, wards or towns). The high public
prosecutors offices and the district public prosecutors offices
have branches to handle parts of their work as necessary.
Public prosecutors offices are staffed with public prosecutors
(Prosecutor-General, Deputy Prosecutor-General, Superintending
Prosecutors, Public Prosecutors and Assistant Prosecutors) and
public prosecutors' assistant officers.
For details, please refer to the Ministry of Justice website
A brochure explaining the meaning and
role of prosecution
https://www.moj.go.jp/keiji1/
keiji_index.html
A brochure clearly explaining the various
systems in the Public Prosecutors Office that
support victims of crime.
https://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/
CRAB/crab-02.html7 Juvenile classification homes confine juveniles who have been
referred by the family court when the court orders protective
measures, and conducts assessments of these juveniles based
on the home’s expertise in medicine, psychology pedagogy and
more, in order to provide information relevant to the investiga-
tion and family court hearing. Such assessments are conducted
by interviews, psychological tests and behavioral observations as
well as by psychiatric examinations if necessary; the treatment
guidelines for rehabilitation are drawn up through examination
and diagnosis of the mental and physical condition of the juvenile
and through understanding of the causes of delinquency.
The home also conducts assessments at the request of a su-
perintendent of juvenile training school or a director of probation
office for the enforcement of protective measures.
Furthermore, the home provides advice using their expertise
and techniques in consultation with the general public and school
teachers on delinquency, bullying, and domestic violence, as well
as the necessary support, in order to prevent delinquency and
crime in the local community.
Juvenile Training Schools confine juveniles who have been sent
from the family court as protective measures that provide cor-
rectional education. A juvenile training school creates an Individ-
ual Plan for Correctional Education for each individual which de-
termines the goals, content, implementation methods, and terms
of correctional education to be implemented according to the
juvenile’s traits, such as age, physical and mental condition, and
criminal tendencies, and provides lifestyle guidance, vocational
guidance, school courses teaching, physical education, and spe-
cial activities guidance according to the characteristics of each
juvenile. In addition, in order to ensure smooth rehabilitation in
society for juveniles who have difficulties leading independent
lives after release, the school provides support for learning and
working, securing of a place of residence, and continuous sup-
port in collaboration with medical/welfare institutions.
Juvenile Classification Homes
Women’s Guidance Home
Juvenile Training Schools
Osaka Juvenile Classification Home
Photo of a psychological test at a juvenile classification home (image)
Kakogawa & Harima Juvenile Training School
Photo of guidance on problematic behavior
About the Ministry of Justice Outline of the Organization
The Women’s Guidance Home confines adult women who are
sentenced to guidance measures by the criminal court for viola-
tion of the Anti-Prostitution Act, and provides living guidance and
vocational training according to their rehabilitation needs.8 The Research and Training Institute is one of the agencies of
the Ministry of Justice, and conducts a wide range of work, in-
cluding (i) research related to criminal justice policies and other
Ministry of Justice affairs, (ii) various kinds of training for Minis-
try of Justice officials, and (iii) international cooperation both in
criminal and civil sectors provided for developing countries
mainly in the Asian region.
Activities of Research and Training Institute
■しかくResearch
The Institute conducts research useful for the Ministry of Jus-
tice to draft measures for prevention and control of crime and
implement policies. The results
are summarized in the White
Paper on Crime, a foundational
document concerning criminal
justice policy, as well as the
Research Department Reports
which are themed on concrete,
individual issues concerning
criminal trends and treatment
of offenders.
■しかくTraining
Various types of training are conducted for the officials of the
Ministry of Justice (excluding correctional personnel, officials at
the Immigration Services Agency, and those at the Public Secu-
rity Intelligence Agency). This training adopts various formats,
such as lectures, debates, and exercises, so that officials can ac-
quire the knowledge and skills needed as officials of the Ministry
of Justice depending on their duties. Through this training, the
institute aims to foster officials who can respond appropriately
to operations that have become increasingly diverse and com-
plex in recent years.
■しかくInternational Cooperation
[The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders]
The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Pre-
vention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI),
established in 1962 by an agreement between the UN and
the Government of Japan, regularly organizes training cours-
es and seminars for criminal justice practitioners in develop-
ing countries etc., and also cooperates in the formulation and
implementation of UN strategies.
[Technical Assistance in the Legal Field]
The International Cooperation Department (ICD) of the Re-
search and Training Institute invites legal practitioners of select-
ed countries to Japan for training, and has also dispatched Japa-
nese experts to said countries to give counsel and hold seminars.
The ICD has so far offered support to such countries as Vietnam,
Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.
See "Promotion of International Cooperation" on page 42 for
more about international cooperation.
The Training Institute for Correctional Personnel of the Min-
istry of Justice provides the necessary work training programs
for personnel engaged in correctional services, as well as evi-
dence-based research of correctional treatment.
History●くろまる
The Training Institute for Correctional Personnel, a venerable
institute whose predecessor is the Ministry of the Interior Prison
Officers Training Institute, established in 1890, has a long his-
tory and tradition as a training institution for public officers.
Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice
Training Institute for Correctional Personnel
UNAFEI’s International Training Course; Group Discussion
Seminar in Japan for Indonesian Officers
Training Institute for Correctional Personnel
Remote training (lecture)
AbouttheMinistryofJustice
Website of White Paper on Crime9◎にじゅうまるExtra-Ministerial Bureaus
(Immigration Services Agency, Public Security Intelligence Agency, Public Security Examination Commission)
About the Ministry of Justice Outline of the Organization
The Immigration Services Agency is responsible for equitable
control over all those who enter and depart from Japan, the
residency of foreign nationals residing in Japan, and procedures
for refugee recognition, based on the Immigration Control and
Refugee Recognition Act.
The Agency is also responsible for implementing planning, policy
development, and general coordination regarding the development
of an environment for an acceptance of foreign nationals.
Immigration Services Agency’s Duties
■しかくImmigration Controls
Foreign nationals who intend to enter Japan are required to
provide personal identification information (fingerprints and fa-
cial photographs), except for those exempt from this require-
ment, and must be interviewed by an immigration inspector. The
immigration inspector checks whether the foreign national meets
the conditions for disembarkation, such as whether the passport
and visa held by the foreign national are valid, whether activities
to be conducted while in Japan are legitimate and come under
the status of residence prescribed in the Appended Tables of the
Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and for cer-
tain statuses of residence, the inspector checks whether the for-
eign national meets the criteria stipulated in the Ministerial Ordi-
nance, and that the foreign national does not fall under the
grounds for denial of entry. If the immigration inspector deems
these conditions have been met, the foreign national will be per-
mitted to enter Japan. Foreign nationals who intend to depart
from Japan must receive confirmation of departure from an im-
migration inspector.
Immigration inspectors also verify the fact of departure and
return of Japanese nationals.
■しかくResidency Management of Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals residing in Japan are allowed to engage in
activities based on their status of residence and period of stay,
determined when entering the country. If foreign nationals
residing in the country intend to obtain permission to change
their status of residence, permission to extend their period of
stay, permission to engage in activities other than those permitted
under the status of residence previously granted, or re-entry
permission, they need to go through the necessary procedures
at the Regional Immigration Services Bureau. Upon permitting
the activities of foreign nationals in Japan, the Immigration
Services Agency strives to ensure proper residency management
of foreign nationals while paying due consideration to the
interests of the Japanese people, maintenance of public order,etc. Starting from July 2012, a residency management system for
mid to long-term residents was introduced, under which foreign
nationals residing in Japan mid to long-term are issued a
residence card when receiving permission relating to residence,
such as landing permission, permission for change of status of
residence, or permission for extension of the period of stay. The
residence card gives such details as the name, date of birth, sex,
nationality or region, place of residence, status of residence, and
period of stay of the foreign national.
Immigration Services Agency ■しかくDeportation
Among foreign nationals residing in Japan, there are those
considered undesirable for the society such as those who have
entered or disembarked illegally, those who obtained landing per-
mission but have overstayed illegally their period of stay or are
engaged in activities other than those permitted or those who
are imposed certain punishments. With regard to such foreign
nationals, the Immigration Services Agency carefully conducts a
required series of procedures to verify the facts and understand
their circumstances through an investigation into violation, exam-
ination and hearing, determines whether the violation serves as a
ground for deportation and deports those who are accordingly
determined to be liable for deportation.
However, not all foreign nationals who fall under the grounds
for deportation defined in the Immigration Control and Refugee
Recognition Act are subject to deportation from Japan. The Min-
ister of Justice may grant special permission to foreign nationals
considering their social background in Japan and family circum-
stances, etc.
In addition, foreign nationals who are in violation of the Immi-
gration Control Act but satisfy certain requirements may leave
the country through simple procedures under the departure or-
der system.
■しかくRefugee Recognition
Japan has signed the Convention Relating to the Status of Ref-
ugees and the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, which
went into effect January 1, 1982 in Japan. Various protection
measures stipulated in the convention and protocol were granted
to refugees.
A refugee is someone who, "owing to well-founded fear of be-
ing persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, member-
ship of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the
country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is
unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country."
The Agency provides administrative procedures for the recog-
nition of refugee status for people who fall within the refugee
definition in the Convention upon the request of foreign nationals
residing in Japan, the issuance of refugee travel documents to
those who are recognized as refugees, and Landing Permission
for Temporary Refuge, which permits a temporary entry into/
stay in Japan, to foreign nationals who apply for asylum at a sea-
port or airport in Japan and are likely to fall under the refugee
definition.
■しかくGeneral Coordination Functions to Develop the
Environment for Acceptance of Foreign Nationals
The planning, policy development, and general coordination
needed for unifying the relevant administrative branch policies
concerning the development of the environment for acceptance
of foreign nationals are the responsibilities of the Ministry of Jus-
tice according to "Basic Policy on Work Relating to the Prepara-
tion of an Environment of Acceptance of Foreign Nationals (Cab-
inet decision of July 24, 2018)", and the Immigration Services
Agency has been responsible for those functions since April
2019.
Specifically, the Agency is responsible for holding "Ministerial
Conference on Acceptance and Coexistence of Foreign Nation-
als" in cooperation with the Cabinet Secretariat and for compiling
"Comprehensive Measures for Acceptance and Coexistence of
Foreign Nationals."10An on-site
inspection
The Public Security Intelligence Agency is an administrative in-
stitution that deals comprehensively with intelligence activities
and requests for dispositions regarding the control of subversive
groups and other organizations based on the Subversive Activi-
ties Prevention Act and the Act on the Control of Organizations
Which Have Committed Acts of Indiscriminate Mass Murder.
Furthermore, as a core member of the Japanese intelligence
community, the Agency contributes to the promotion of relevant
key governmental policies in various spheres including crisis
management, foreign policy, and national security, by providing,
in a timely and appropriate manner, the relevant organizations
with domestic and foreign intelligence/materials related to the
public security of Japan that have been collected and analyzed in
the process of investigation.
Operations of the Public Security Intelligence Agency
■しかくControl of Subversive Organizations
In Japan, there are many organizations and forces which may
pose a security risk to the public, including Aum Shinrikyo, which
carried out the subway sarin gas attacks; leftist extremists, which
have repeatedly conducted illegal activities including terrorist and
guerilla attacks; right wing groups; and the General Association of
Korean Residents in Japan. Based on the "Subversive Activities
Prevention Act", the Agency conducts intelligence activities re-
garding those organizations which have a potential for subversive
terrorist activities, and when it is deemed necessary to take con-
trol measures as a result, the Agency files an application with the
Public Security Examination Commission (see page 10) in order to
take control measures, such as restricting their organizational ac-
tivities or giving them a dissolution order. Also, in accordance with
the "Act on the Control of Organizations Which Have Committed
Acts of Indiscriminate Mass Murder", the Agency files applications
with the Commission against organizations that have committed
indiscriminate mass murder in the past and are still considered
dangerous in order to take surveillance disposition or other meas-
ures to prevent a recurrence, as well as collects reports from these
organizations under the Commission's order for surveillance, con-
ducts on-site inspections at the facilities of these organizations,
and also carries out necessary investigations.
Public Security Intelligence Agency
The Public Security Examination Commission is an extra-minis-
terial agency of the Ministry created to maintain public security.
Upon receiving an application from the Director-General of the
Public Security Intelligence Agency for regulatory actions on sub-
versive organizations stipulated in the Subversive Activities Pre-
vention Act or the Act on the Control of Organizations Which
Have Committed Acts of Indiscriminate Mass Murder, the Com-
mission examines the application from an objective and neutral
viewpoint and makes a decision on whether control measures are
necessary, and if so, what control measures should be taken.
Public Security Examination Commission
Work of the Public Security Intelligence Agency
Intelligence contribution to
State administration
Control of subversive Organizations
Examination and decision by the Public Security
Examination Commission on control order
Application for control order
Processing information and materials as evidence
Collection and analysis
Domestic information and materials Foreign information and materials
Work of the Public Security
Examination Commission
Workflow of the Public Security Intelligence Agency
and the Public Security Examination Commission
AbouttheMinistryofJustice
■しかくCurrent State of Surveillance Disposition
In order to uncover the actual activities of so-called Aum Shin-
rikyo (continuing its activities centered on "Aleph" and the "group
led by Yamada" and "Hikari-no-Wa"), the Agency conducts sur-
veillance of the organization in an appropriate and rigorous man-
ner. Investigations and on-site inspections of Aum Shinrikyo have
revealed that the organization still maintains a risk of committing
an act of indiscriminate mass murder: the organization has in-
creased the number of new members through recruitment activ-
ities that do not mention its name; the organization also has
maintained teachings designed to increase the followers’ abso-
lute faith in Chizuo Matsumoto, who is the mastermind of the
organization’s indiscriminate mass murder and popularly known
as Shoko Asahara.
■しかくIntelligence Contributions
There are many challenges to the security of Japan and its people,
such as North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, and abductions
of Japanese nationals; China’s extensive and rapid modernization of mil-
itary strength; threats posed by international terrorism and cyber at-
tacks; and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; information
theft by countries of concern, that need to be monitored carefully. In
particular, Japan has repeatedly faced situations of heightened tensions
with its neighboring countries regarding the territorial and maritime in-
terests of Japan, and has also faced challenges in the field of economic
security, for instance, advanced technology leaks through various chan-
nels and acquisitions by foreign capital of real estate located near criti-
cal facilities. These situations and challenges have become matters of
great concern to the government and relevant organizations of Japan. It
has become one of the most important missions of the Agency, which is
tasked with protecting public security, to collect and analyze relevant
information with regard to these challenges, thus contributing to the
government’s policies by providing relevant organizations, including the
National Security Council, with intelligence.
■しかくEfforts toward Public-Private Collaboration
As the Agency is strengthening its measures of providing intelligence
regarding, among other issues, outflow of technologies to countries of
concern and international terrorism, the Director-General and other offi-
cials of the Agency deliver lectures for private corporations and eco-
nomic associations. In addition, the Agency actively publicizes (see p.15)
Lecture at an outside seminar
and distributes relevant
materials such as bro-
chures on economic secu-
rity and threats posed by
cyber-attacks, as well as
the "Handbook of Interna-
tional Terrorism," as part
of the effort to promote
awareness among these
corporations and others.11 At the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime
in July 2012, the Comprehensive Measures for the Prevention of
Recidivism stipulating the mid- to long-term government efforts
toward preventing recidivism were established.
In this strategy, a numerical target to "decrease the proportion
of persons who are re-imprisoned within two years of their release
from prison by at least 20% by 2021" was set as the first ever
government efforts toward preventing recidivism. As of 2021, the
government has achieved this target and the latest value is 15.7%.
Details are presented in the following.
Toward Japan as "the Safest Country in the World"
Comprehensive Measures to Prevent Recidivism1Establishing the Safest Country in the World
Ensuring favorable public security is an
important basis to enable women and the
young to live comfortably and with assurance
in the community. It is also an important issue
that can be the "foundation" for development
of the localities. Also, with the emergence of
n ew t h rea t s s u ch as cy b e rcr i m e a n d ,
international terrorism, we aim to further
r e d u c e c r i m e a n d f o s t e r a s e n s e o f
confidence in public security.
Under such circumstances, at the Ministerial
Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime
in December 2013, the "Strategy to Make
Japan ‘the Safest Country in the World’" was
a p p r o v e d . A n d w h i l e e ff o r t s f o r
comprehensive Penal Code offenses control
were made by the government as a whole
based on the strategy, the number of
repor ted crimes was halved from 2013
(1,314,140) to 2020(614,231), proving that an
improvement has been seen in the public
security of Japan.
However, roughly 50 percent of the cleared
persons for Penal Code offences was repeat
o ff e n d e r s i n 2 0 2 0 , a n d t h e r a t e o f
re-imprisoned inmates among new inmates
reached about 60 percent. Taking the above
facts into consideration, the question of how
we should prevent the repetition of crimes
and delinquencies (=preventing recidivism) is
a major challenge.
The Ministry of Justice carries out
various measures to ensure the
safety and security of citizens,
including countermeasures for
repeat offenses.
The Number of Repeat Offenders Among non-traffic penal code Offenses /Changes in the Rate of Repeat Offenders (2001-2020)010203040500100,000
200,000
400,000
300,000
500,000
2001 2003 2008 2013(%)(persons)
Repeat offenders First-time inmates Rate of Repeat offenders
2018 2020
(Note 1)
Annual Report of Statistics on Correction
(Note 2)
"Repeat offenders" refer to people who are arrested for the second criminal offence, excluding any violations of the Road Traffic Law.
49.1%
First-time Offenders:92,915
Repeat offenders:89,667
Featured Article!12 Business owners that employ ex-offenders/ juvenile delinquents
and help them become independent and rehabilitated are called
"cooperative employers" (see page 38).
The Ministry of Justice promotes financial aid for cooperative
employers as well as support systems that employers can continue
to employ ex-offenders and juvenile delinquents with an easy mind.
In order to match inmates with job offers from companies willing to employ released inmates, the Ministry of Justice promotes
measures that allow companies to post job offers in particular correctional institutions through Hello Work.
Further, Employment Support Information Center for Correction (commonly known as "CORRE-Work") was established in Sap-
poro, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Takamatsu and Fukuoka Regional Correction Headquarters. CORRE-Work collec-
tively manages information on such things as place of return and acquired qualifications for inmates across the country, and
provides companies willing to employ released inmates with information on institutions housing inmates who meet their needs.
Prisons and juvenile training
schools conduct vocational
training that leads to employ-
ment in industries with high so-
cial needs, such as construc-
tion and nursing care.
I addition to providing in-
mates technique and skills, we
also give training for them to
acquire the attitudes and abili-
ties required for work, such as
social manners as a member of
society and communication
skills in the workplace.
As various factors underlie crime and delinquency, prevention
of re-offending needs treatment focused on each offender’s char-
acteristics.
Approximately 70% of persons who have been re-imprisoned
were unemployed at the time they reoffended. Employment
provides not only steady income, but is also expected to establish
interpersonal relationships through work that will then lead to
greater opportunities to re-establish oneself as an independent
member of society.
However, those who have committed crimes or delinquency
Cooperative employers
Nursing Care and
Welfare Division
Toward
Japanas"theSafest
Countryinthe
World
"
Therefore, prisons, juvenile training schools, and probation of-
fices seek to enhance effective and seamless guidance based on
empirical studies, according to the individual characteristics.
tend to have difficulty obtaining jobs due to insufficient vocational
abilities or criminal records.
The Ministry of Justice has made effort toward work assistance
in cooperation not only with prisons and probation offices, but
with various organizations as well as private citizens such as
cooperative employers in the community.
Enhancing Guidance According to Each Offender’s Characteristics
Creating a Place to Belong and Work in the Community
Vocational Training that Meets the Needs of Society Efforts in the Community
■しかく Securing Work to Lead an Independent Life
Providing Employment Information for Inmates
ACTION!1The Ministry of
Justice is recruiting
business owners to
serve as cooperative
employers.
For inmates who have difficulty in rehabil-
itation or smooth return to society for
specified reasons such as drug dependen-
cy, the following programs are conducted
at prisons:
Treatment in juvenile training schools
takes into consideration the problem
of each individual inmate. For inmates
with specific needs, the following
programs are conducted:
In addition to specialized treatment pro-
grams such as sex offender treatment pro-
gram, drug relapse prevention program, vio-
lence prevention program or alcohol-impaired
driving prevention program, probation offices
implement social contribution activities as well.
Cleanup activity at a
riverside
Helping serve lunch at
a welfare facility
●くろまる
Education with the Victim’s Point of View
●くろまる
Education for Drug and Delinquency Preven-tion●くろまる
Education for Prevention of Sex Offence
●くろまる
Education for Prevention of Violence
●くろまる
Education for Improvement of Family Relation-
ships
●くろまる
Education for Improvement of Peer Associa-tionGuidance Provided at Prisons and Probation Offices
Examples of social
contribution activities
Group session at a Prison
●くろまる
Guidance for Overcoming Drug Addiction
●くろまる
Guidance for Withdrawal from Organized Crime
Groups
●くろまる
Re-offending Prevention Guidance for Sexual
Offenders
●くろまる
Education from Victims’
points of view
●くろまる
Traffic Safety Guidance
●くろまる
Job Assistance Guidance
●くろまる ●くろまる113
Toward Japan as "the Safest Country in the World"
For inmates who can rely on relatives, arrangements are made so that they
can receive support from their relatives after release.
Meanwhile, for offenders whose repeated criminal behavior has estranged
them from relatives, have become isolated with no one to support them, and
have no place to return to, efforts are made to provide them with temporary
housing, such as offender rehabilitation facilities (see page 37).
In addition, efforts of providing life counseling and support by offender
rehabilitation facility staffs are made for offenders who have no place to return
to, to live in the community after leaving offender rehabilitation facilities.
Moreover, for inmates who have difficulty in leading independent lives such
as the elderly or disabled, improvements have been made to the systems in
cooperation with correctional institutions/probation offices and local public
authorities so that they can receive appropriate welfare services after their
release.
To enhance treatment for inmates who have difficulty leading independ-
ent lives, such as the elderly, the disabled, or those dependent on drugs,
the Ministry has stationed officials with professional qualifications in the
fields such as welfare or psychology, etc. to strengthen the ability of of-
fender rehabilitation facilities to accept inmates.
In addition, the Ministry has striven since 2011 to secure a variety of
places that can accept inmates using housing managed by NPOs (self-re-
liance support homes) .
A room of an offender
rehabilitation facility
Strengthening Function of Offender Rehabilitation Facilities and Securing a Variety of Housing
■しかく Ensuring a Place to Belong in the Community
Treatment at an offender
rehabilitation facility
To make Japan "the Safest Country in the World", without re-
peated crime and, above all, with no new victims, where citizens
can live in safety and peace, it is essential to create a social envi-
ronment in which those who once committed crimes or delinquen-
cy can be accepted naturally as responsible members of society
without rejection and isolation (re-entry).
To achieve such a society, the declaration "No Returning to
Crime, No Facilitating Other’s Return to Crime" was approved at
the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime held
in December2014.
Aimed at securing employment and housing, which are key to
preventing recidivism, this declaration asks for the effort of the
Many drug addicts who have had difficulty recovering and many
elderly or disabled who have committed crimes fall between the
gaps of criminal justice and local community, and return to crime
without receiving necessary support.
For this reason, the Emergency Measures to Prevent recidivism
in Drug Addicts and Elderly Offenders, which focuses on drug
addicts and elderly offenders, were formulated in July 2017 at the
Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against Crime.
These measures promote the following three policies and aim
to establish a nationwide network that supports the recovery of
drug addicts and elderly or disabled persons who have committed
crimes.
nation and support from citizens by setting the following two nu-
merical targets that to be achieved by 2020.
❶ 
triple the number of business owners willing to employ
persons who have committed crimes or delinquent acts
after gaining an understanding of their conditions
❷ 
reduce the number of people returning to society from
prisons who have no place to go back to by at least 30per-
cent.
As of October 1, 2019, the government has achieved both of
these targets and is continuing its efforts to secure employment
and housing.
❶ 
An integrated system of guidance provided by correction-
al institutions and probation offices, as well as medical
treatment by medical facilities to aid drug addicts in their
recovery
❷ 
The provision of guidance and support through all stages
of the criminal justice system in conjunction with the local
community
❸ 
Promotion of long-term civic support initiatives to facili-
tate rehabilitation
Implementing these initiatives in an integrated manner will en-
sure that the Comprehensive Measures to Prevent Recidivism will
achieve their numerical targets, and will make efforts to help make
Japan "the Safest Country in the World," a country in which crimes
are not repeated and in which people can live with safety and
peace of mind.
–We Will Work Toward a Bright Future in a Society Where We All Support Rehabilitation–
–Establishment of a Long-Term Support Network to Facilitate Rehabilitation–
Declaring "No Returning to Crime, No Facilitating Other's Return to Crime"
EmergencyMeasures toPreventRecidivismbyPersons withDrugDependencies,ElderlyOffenders,andOthers141
Toward
Japanas"theSafest
Countryinthe
World
"
Act for the Prevention of Recidivism & Recidivism Prevention Plan
The Act for the Prevention of Recidivism, which, along with clarifying
the responsibilities of the national and local governments, as to pre-
venting recidivism sets basic measures and stipulates the compre-
hensive and systematic promotion of measures to prevent recidivism
in order to create a society where citizens can live in safety and pe
ace, was announced and took effect in December 2017.
Moreover, the Review Committee for the Recidivism Prevention Plan ,
chaired by the Minister of Justice, was established in February 2018
to discuss the matters listed in the Recidivism Prevention Plan Draft
created by the Minister of Justice based on the said law, resulting in
many meetings with relevant ministries and committees of private
experts. A review committee was then held to compile a plan propos-
al, and after passing throw the public comment, the Cabinet decided
on the Recidivism Prevention Plan in December 2018.
Under the five basic policies, regarding seven priority issues, 115
measures are stipulated in this plan.
Seven priority issues in "Recidivism Prevention Plan "
❶ Securing Employment and Housing
❷ Facilitating the Use of Health ,Medical, and Welfare Services
❸ Implementation Educational Support in Collaboration with
Schools,and Others
❹ Implementation Effective Guidance That is Tailored to the Indi-
vidual Attiributes of Persons Who Have Committed Offences
❺ Facilitating the Activities of Cooperating Members of the Pri-
vate Sector Advancing Public Relations and Awareness-Rais-
ing Activities
❻ Strengthening Collaboration with Local Governments
❼ Development the Personnel and Physical Systems of the Rel-
evant Organizations
Offenders are divided into "Those released on completion of their full
prison sentence" and "Those released on parole" who were released
on parole in the middle of their prison term and live in the community
while under probation. When their re-imprisonment rates within two
years (the rates of inmates who become re-imprisoned within two
years of release from prison) are compared, the present status is that
those released on completion of their full prison sentence is two or
more times than those released on parole, and thus how recidivism by
those released on completion of their full prison sentence should be
prevented is a major issue.
Those who committed crimes and delinquencies, such as those re-
leased on completion of their full prison sentence, have various issues
toward rehabilitation and "Long-term" support in the community, in-
cluding after the completion of criminal procedures is needed. To do
so, strengthening cooperation with local governments that provide
welfare services, etc. and cooperators from the private sector that
locally support those who committed crimes and delinquencies is im-
portant.
To respond to these issues, the "Acceleration Plan for Plan" was es-
tablished at the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures Against
Crime in December 2019.
This plan accelerates the following three issues.
❶ Improvement and enhancement of the countermeasures for
those released on completion of their full prison sentence;
❷ Promotion of the strengthening of cooperation with local gov-
ernments
❸ Promotion of activities by cooperating members of the pri-
vate sector.
The Plan also newly upheld the following two performance goals of
❶ Decrease the number of those released on expiry of their full
prison sentence who are re-imprisoned within two years by
20% or more to 2,000 or less by 2022; and
❷ Support 100 or more local governments to allow the develop-
ment of a local recidivism prevention plan by the end of fiscal
2021.
The various government departments unite as one to tackle the
various challenges involved in the Plan to improve and strengthen the
countermeasures to prevent recidivism among those released on
completion of their full prison sentence, strongly support various re-
cidivism prevention challenges by local governments and cooperating
members of the private sector, and improve the support system in
communities.
-Toward the Improvement of "Long-term" Support, such as the Countermeasures for Those Released on Completion of their Full Prison Sentence-
Acceleration Plan for Recidivism Prevention Plan
Based on the Act for the Prevention of Recidivism, the Ministry of
Justice annually organizes the measures for the prevention of recidi-
vism, etc. taken by the government and releases the "White Paper on
Recidivism Prevention."
The FY 2021 edition of the White Paper
covers the efforts implemented by the
relevant ministries and agencies, such as
the Ministry of Justice, until the end of FY
2020, as well as introducing activities by
cooperating members of the private sec-tor.The White Paper is viewable on the web-
site of the Ministry of Justice and can be
purchased at bookstores/Government
Publications Centers, etc. across Japan.
Please take a look at it.
White Paper on Recidivism Prevention
Website of the Ministry of
Justice Measures to
Prevent Recidivism
https://www.moj.go.jp/hisho/seisakuhyouka/
hisho04_00038.html151 Toward Japan as "the Safest Country in the World"
In order to deal effectively with the frequent occurrence of violent
crimes by foreign nationals as well as the increasing number of inter-
national crimes, it is necessary to gather evidence from abroad more
effectively and strengthen cooperation between foreign investigative
authorities and those of Japan.
Examples of such enhancement of cooperation include the Treaty
between Japan and the United States of America on Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered into force on July 21, 2006),
the Treaty between Japan and the Republic of Korea on Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered into force on January 26,
2007), the Treaty between Japan and the People’s Republic of China
on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered into force on
November 23, 2008), the Agreement between Japan and the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered into force on
September 24, 2009), the Agreement between Japan and the Europe-
an Union on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered into
force on January 2, 2011), the Treaty between Japan and the Russian
Federation on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (entered
into force on February 11, 2011), the Convention on Cybercrime (en-
tered into force on November 1, 2012), the United Nations Conven-
tion against Transnational Organized Crime (entered into force on
August 10, 2017) and the United Nations Convention against Corrup-
tion (entered into force on August 10, 2017). These treaties, agree-
ments and conventions enable communication for the collection of
evidence not through diplomatic channels but directly between the
Ministry of Justice or the National Police Agency and the judicial au-
thorities of respective countries or regions, expediting the process.
The Ministry of Justice is committed to further strengthening interna-
tional cooperation.
In order to protect the lives and safety of the public, it is highly im-
portant to prevent those who intend to enter Japan for illegal purpos-
es, such as terrorists and criminals who disguise themselves as tour-
ists, from entering Japan at the border and ports of entry. To ensure
that such illegal entrants are identified, the Immigration Services Agen-
cy conducts strict and effective immigration examinations and imple-
ments surveillance and monitoring through the methods below.
●くろまる Immigration Examinations utilizing Biometric Information (Fin-
gerprints and Facial Photographs)
●くろまる Utilization of Database of Stolen and Lost Travel Documents pro-
vided by the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO)
●くろまる Utilization of API (Advance Passenger Information) and PNR (Passenger
Name Record)
●くろまる Reinforcement of Information Collection and Analysis on Immi-
gration Control
●くろまる Patrolling and Other Activities at Airports and Seaports
■しかく Cooperation Between the Foreign
Investigative Authorities and Japan
■しかく Measures at the Border
Immigration examinations through
the use of biometric information
Scene of patrolling a seaport
Efforts to Achieve Safety and Security
Along with measures at the border, reducing the number of illegal
foreign nationals currently residing in Japan is important in restoring
security. The Immigration Services Agency strives to reduce the
■しかく Measures Against Illegal Foreign Residents
Public Security Intelligence Agency collects and analyzes information related
to economic security. The Agency provides key government apparatuses and
other relevant bodies with information on, for instance, advanced technology
leaks through various channels and acquisitions by foreign capital of real estate
located near critical facilities. It also aims to promote awareness among private
companies and universities by preparing and publishing awareness-building
movies and leaflets on preventing technology and data leaks.
In addition, to strengthen counter-intelligence functions and prevent the
proliferation of materials and technology related to weapons of mass de-
struction, the Agency also diligently pursues the gathering and analysis of
relevant information. In addition, to counter increasingly serious threats to
the cyberspace, the Agency gathers and analyzes information and provides
intelligence to relevant organizations in a timely manner, contributing to the
government’s measures against cyber attacks and cyber intelligence.
Regarding international terrorism, the threat of terrorism still continues to
exist as demonstrated by the serial terrorist bombing attacks in Sri Lanka in
April 2019, which involved Japanese nationals as victims, as well as the series
of attacks in Europe committed by those influenced by international terrorist
organizations. Furthermore, the situation in Afghanistan requires close atten-
tion as there is a concern that the country may become a breeding ground
for terrorism after the Taliban, which has provided sanctuary for al-Qaida,
took power. Meanwhile, extremist groups in Japan have carried out illegal
activities and have cooperated with anti-globalization forces. In order to deal
appropriately with these situations, the Agency is strengthening collection
and analysis of information related to international terrorist groups and these
domestic groups, as well as strengthening systems for providing pertinent
information to Japanese citizens traveling or living abroad. In addition, the
Agency is promoting and enhancing its efforts as a core member of the in-
telligence community of Japan by for instance actively providing the Interna-
tional Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Collection Unit of Japan (CTU-J) and
Counter-Terrorism and -Intelligence Information and Data Exchange Center
of Japan (CTI-INDEX), among others, with relevant intelligence.
The Agency has verified the danger and anti-social nature of Aum Shinri-
kyo, as there are still believers who place absolute faith in Chizuo Matsumoto,
the mastermind of the group’s indiscriminate mass murder and popularly
known as Shoko Asahara, even now after his execution. The Agency contin-
ues to conduct surveillance on the group with appropriate diligence and pro-
vide relevant local authorities upon request by their heads with the investiga-
tion results based on this surveillance in order to protect public security and
also to remove and alleviate fear and anxiety of local residents.
■しかく Efforts by Public Security Intelligence Agency
number of illegal foreign residents by reinforcing investigations, im-
plementing safe and secure deportation, preventing illegal employ-
ment, and publicizing the Departure Order System more widely.
The Agency is also actively engaged in taking measures and
developing a society free from illegal foreign residents, analyzing
information on foreign residents obtained through the Residency
Management System, understanding the situation of disguised
residents, and appropriately conducting procedures for revocation
of status of residence.
Leaflet, movie and contact information
on economic security
https://www.moj.go.jp/psia/
keizaianpo.top.html
Overview of Threats in
Cyberspace 2021
https://www.moj.go.jp/psia/
20130807.html
"Handbook of International Terrorism"
(Web version)
https://www.moj.go.jp/psia/
ITH/index.html
 Basic Act on Crime Victims was established in 2004, stating that "As
everyone in society is vulnerable to becoming a Crime Victim, policies
from the viewpoints of Crime Victims are required. These steps must be
taken into account to realize a society where the Crime Victims’ interests
and well-being are protected".
Pursuant to the Basic Act on Crime Victims, the Government must es-
tablish a basic plan concerning policies for crime victims, etc. in order to
promote policies for crime victims, etc. in a comprehensive and planned
manner. In 2021, the Forth Basic Plan for Crime Victims, whose duration
was set as five years from April, 1, 2021 until the end of the fiscal year
2025 was formulated, and measures for crime victims are promoted
through collaboration between relevant government ministries.
Support for Crime Victims
■しかく Basic Act on Crime Victims and The Basic Plan for Crime Victims
■しかく Efforts by Ministry of Justice –Aiming for seamless and continuous support for crime victims
Five priorities in the Fourth Basic Plan for Crime Victims
❶Efforts to recover the victims’ damages and to
provide them with economic support
❷Efforts for the victims to recover from or to prevent
mental and/or physical damage
❸Efforts to broaden the opportunity for victims to
participate in criminal procedures
❹Efforts to improve the systems to support crime
victims, etc
❺Efforts to foster the understanding among citizens
and to earn their consideration and cooperation
The Ministry of Justice promotes various support measures aim-
ing for seamless and continuous support to crime victims.
For example, Victim Notification System is in place. The public
prosecutor’s office notifies crime victims of information related to
their cases, including decisions on prosecution, trial outcomes, and
the dates of offenders’ release, as well as information on offenders,
such as treatment of offenders after the judgement became final
and binding, and under the disposition for rehabilitation, upon vic-
tims’ request and in collaboration with relevant organizations.
Besides this, the Ministry of Justice promotes support measures
that can be taken at the time of trial or hearing and after trial or
hearing ends.
Support measures at the time of trial
■しかく
Victim participation system
The victims of crimes such as murder
or injury may, when they so wish and
with the court’s permission, attend the
trial dates, and engage in activities such
as questioning the defendant under cer-
tain requirements.
■しかく
Victim’
s attendance at the juvenile
hearing
Victims of serious cases, such as mur-
der, can attend the juvenile hearing with
the permission of the court.
Support measures after trial or hearing ends
■しかくOpinion hearing system in parole examination
A system is in place that allows crime victims to express their opinions regarding
the parole and other releases of the person subject to proceedings and their senti-
ment on damage caused by the crimes or delinquency during parole examinations
by Regional Parole Boards.
■しかくRemission payment system
Under the Act on Issuance of Remission Payments Using Stolen and Misappropri-
ated Property it is now possible under certain conditions to confiscate property
obtained by offenders through property offenses or other offenses, and to use this
confiscated property in the recovery of financial damages suffered by the crime
victims of relevant cases.
*Remission Payment System is for victims of criminal acts such as property crimi-
nals who were certified in criminal trials.
■しかくCommunication system of victims’sentiments to probationers/parolees
A system is in place that, during the probation or parole, crime victims may commu-
nicate their sentiments regarding damage, the current situation of the victims and
their opinions toward the life or behavior of the probationer or parolees to the parole
office, and the relevant probation office conveys them to the probationer or parolee.
The Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu) nominates candidates to act as court-appointed attorneys for participating victims and notifies the
court, as well as pays travel expenses, etc. to participating victims, provides information to support crime victims, introduces attorneys with experience
and understanding of crime victims assistance, and provides legal consultation aid for victims of domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse.
The Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu)
The Ministry of Justice has been proceeding with various efforts
concerning the prevention of child abuse. For example, the Minis-
try has been striving for the early detection of child abuse through
counseling on children’s rights the human rights bodies (p.29),
juveniles and their parents’ consultations with the Juvenile Classi-
fication Homes (p.40), etc.
Efforts Concerning Prevention of Child Abuse in the Ministry of Justice
As a response when child abuse occurs, the Japan Legal Support
Center (Houterasu) is implementing various efforts, such as pro-
viding legal consultation assistance for abused children (p.16),
and conducting hearings by its representatives when the public
prosecutor, police, or Child Guidance Center conducts hearings
concerning an abused child, in order to secure the credibility of
statements while mitigating the child’s burden.
Support measures at the time of hearing161
Toward
Japanas"theSafest
Countryinthe
World
"17Immigration Control and Residency Management2With the aim to be a leader in the field of tourism, Japan has
been implementing a range of measures to carry out smooth
entry screening for foreign nationals with legitimate reasons for
coming to the country, and strict entry screening to apprehend
those suspected of intending to break the law, such as working
illegally.
For smooth entry screening, a device commonly known as
Bio Cart has been used since October 2016 to shorten the time
taken to collect personal identification information from foreign
nationals during their landing inspections. This device makes it
possible to collect their fingerprints and facial photographs while
they wait for arrival screening. This device is operated at 20
air and sea ports as of December 31, 2021. Automated gates
(fingerprint authentication gates) have also been introduced
at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Airport, and Kansai
Airport. These gates can automatically perform the departure
and entry (return) procedures by collating passports and
fingerprints. They are used by Japanese nationals who have
registered in advance to use the gates and foreign nationals
who meet certain requirements (the Trusted Traveler Program
launched in November 2016 has expanded the scope of eligible
foreign users; in March 2020, the scope of users eligible to be
registered in the same program was expanded).
Furthermore, the decision was made to streamline the
departure and return procedures for Japanese nationals through
applying face recognition technology. As such, since October
2017 facial recognition automated gates that do not require
prior registration procedures have been implemented as part
of the departure and return procedures for Japanese nationals.
To streamline the departure procedures for foreign nationals
as well, facial recognition automated gates have gradually been
phased in to departure procedures for them since July 2019.
In response to the increasing number of foreigners visiting
Japan by cruise ship, the entry inspection procedures for foreign
passengers on cruise ships have also been simplified. Through
introducing the "Landing Permission for Cruise Ship Tourists"
system, foreign passengers on cruise ships designated by the
Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency are allowed
to land with simple procedures.
With regard to strict entry screening, on the other hand,
efforts have been made to prevent terrorists and other
foreigners undesirable to Japan from entering. This is being
achieved by using Advance Passenger Information (API) and
Passenger Name Record (PNR) reported by airlines, as well as
the International Criminal Police Organization’s (ICPO) Stolen and
Lost Travel Documents Database (SLTD database). In principle,
foreign nationals who wish to enter Japan are also required to
provide personal identification information (fingerprints and
facial photographs).
Smooth and Strict Immigration Screening
Bio Carts Facial recognition automated gates
Proper and Smooth Acceptance of Foreign Nationals
■しかくResidency Management of Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals staying in Japan may engage in activities
freely within the scope of their status of residence and period
of stay, which is determined at the time of their landing. Those
who desire to change their status of residence or extend their
period of stay are required to obtain permission at the Regional
Immigration Services Bureau in accordance with Japanese
laws and regulations. Through the examination process, Japan
seeks to implement proper residence management of foreign
nationals, guarantee their activities and stay in Japan, as well as
protect the interests and security of Japanese nationals.
■しかくOnline Residence Procedures
At the request of a foreign national, staff members of the
organization of affiliation (that is accepting the foreign national)
who meet certain requirements, or Attorneys and certified
administrative procedures legal specialists who have been
requested by the organization, can apply online for a residence
procedure for the foreign national. (In order to use the online
residence application system, they must apply for the system use
by mail, etc. and receive approval from a regional immigration
services office in advance.)
Besides, from March 2022, a foreign national can personally
make online residence application, verifying the identity with the
personal authentication function of the Individual Number Card.
Please refer to the Immigration Services Agency’s website for
details on how to use the online residence application system
and the information about application types and statuses of
residence available for online application.
The Immigration Services Agency plans to expand the scope
of applicable online procedures in the future. As soon as
decided, the details will be posted on the Immigration Services
Agency’s website.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, please take advantage of
the online residence application system.
For the details about the online
residence application system,
please visit the website.
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/guide/onlineshinsei.html
The mascot of Online Residence Procedures
"Rasuppi"182
Immigration
ControlandResidency
Management
Major Points for Specified Skilled Worker (i)
○しろまる Period of stay: Renewed every 1 year, 6 months or 4 months, up to 5
years in total
○しろまる Skill Standards: Confirmed by exams, etc. (those who have completed
Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempted from exams, etc.)
○しろまる Japanese language level: Proficiency in Japanese language required in
daily life and at the workplace needs to be confirmed by exams, etc.
(those who have completed Technical Intern Training (ii) are exempted
from exams, etc. )
○しろまる Accompanied by family members: basically not permitted
○しろまる Eligible for support by Accepting Organizations or Registered Support
Organizations
Major Points for Specified Skilled Worker (ii)
○しろまる Period of stay: Renewed every 3 years, 1 year or 6 months
○しろまる Skill Standards: Confirmed by exams, etc.
○しろまる Japanese language level: No need for confirmation by exams, etc.
○しろまる Accompanied by family members : Possible if requirements are met
(spouse, children)
○しろまる Not eligible for support by Accepting Organizations or Registered
Support Organizations
○しろまる In order to cope with the worsening labor shortages, the statuses of residence of "Specified Skilled Worker (i)" and "Specified Skilled Worker (ii)" were established
for the acceptance of work-ready foreign nationals who have a certain degree of expertise and skills in the industrial fields where it is still difficult to secure human
resources even if efforts have been made to improve productivity and secure domestic human resources. (Started on April 1, 2019)
○しろまる Specified Skilled Worker (i): Status of Residence for foreign nationals engaging in work requiring skills which need considerable degree of knowledge or
experience belonging to a specific industrial field.
○しろまる Specified Skilled Worker (ii): Status of Residence for foreign nationals engaging in work requiring proficient skills belonging to a specified field
Specified Industry Fields (14 Fields) : Nursing care, Building cleaning management, Machine parts & tooling industries, Industrial machinery industry, Electric,
Electronics and information Industries, Construction industry, Shipbuilding and ship machinery industry, Automobile repair and maintenance, Aviation industry,
Accommodation industry, Agriculture, Fishery & aquaculture, Manufacture of food and beverages, Food service industry
(Specified skilled workers (ii) can only be accepted in the two underlined fields.)
○しろまる Number of Specified Skilled Workers (i) residing in Japan : 38,337 people (as of the end of September, 2021)
System Outline Status of Residence
[Skill Level for Status of Residence Eligible to Work]
Previous Status of Residence New Status of Residence
ProfessionalandTechnical
Fields
Non-Professional/
Technical
Fields
"Highly Skilled Professional (i, ii)"
"Professor"
"Engineer/Specialist in
Humanities/International Services"
"Nursing care"
"Skilled Labor", etc.
"Specified Skilled
Worker (ii) "
"Specified Skilled
Worker (i) "
"Technical Intern Training"
1. Criteria for accepting organizations to accept foreign nationals
1 Employment contract entered into with the foreign national is appropriate
(e.g., the amount of remuneration is equivalent to or greater than that a Japanese national would receive
for the same kind of work)
2 The organization itself is appropriate (e.g., no violation of the immigration or labor-related laws
within the past 5 years)
3 There is a system in place to support foreign nationals (e.g., able to offer support in a language
understood by foreign nationals)
4 The plan to support foreign nationals is appropriate (e.g., includes general living orientation, etc.)
2. Obligations of the accepting organization
1 Reliable fulfillment of the employment contract entered into with the foreign national
(e.g., payment of appropriate remuneration)
2 Provision of appropriate support for foreign nationals → possible to outsource support to a registered
support organization
If all support is entrusted, 13 has already been satisfied
3 Submission of various notifications to the Immigration Services Agency
Note. Failure to do 1 to 3 will result in permission being denied for acceptance of foreign nationals, and the
organization may be subject to guidance and improvement orders from the Immigration Services Agency.
About the accepting organizations
1. Criteria for registration
1 The organization itself is appropriate (e.g., no violation of the immigration or labor-related laws
within the past 5 years)
2 There is a system in place to support foreign nationals (e.g., able to offer support in a language
understood by foreign nationals)
2. Obligations of the registered support organization
1 Implementation of appropriate support for foreign nationals
2 Submission of various notifications to the Immigration Services Agency
Note. Failure to do 1 and 2 may result in registration being revoked.
About the registered support
organizations
Immigration Services Agency
Registered
support
organization
Accepting
organization
Foreign nationals
NotificationRegistration/
Cancellation of
registration
Guidance/
Advice
Guidance/advice
Notification
Guidance/advice
On-site
investigat
ion/impr
ovement
order
Employment
contract
Support
entrustment
Support Support
NotificationSystem Outline Accepting Organizations and Registered Support Organizations
■しかくEstablishment of the Status of Residence of "Specified Skilled Worker"
In order to respond to a growing labor shortage, for industries
that face difficulties in securing human resources even after
national efforts to improve productivity and to secure domestic
human resources, on April 1, 2019, the status of residence
"Specified Skilled Worker (i)" and "Specified Skilled Worker (ii)"
were established to accept foreign nationals who have a certain
level of expertise and skill in the industrial fields and who are
immediately ready to work.192 Immigration Control and Residency Management
■しかく
Comprehensive Measures for Acceptance and Coexistence of Foreign Nationals (Adopted by
the Ministerial Conference on Acceptance and Coexistence of Foreign Nationals)
In December 2018, the government formulated
"Comprehensive Measures for Acceptance and Coexistence of
Foreign Nationals" (hereinafter referred to as "Comprehensive
Measures") which include measures related to scenes in
daily life such as work environment, education, medical care
and housing from the perspective of more strongly and
comprehensively promoting the measures for acceptance
and coexistence of foreign nationals based on establishment
of the Specified Skilled Worker system (enforcement of April
2019). The government has so far made three revisions
of the Comprehensive Measures, and the latest revision,
formulated in June 2021, was made from the standpoint
of further enhancing the environment of accepting foreign
nationals, also based on the issues identified due to e.g. the
Some foreign nationals enter Japan illegally or stay in Japan
beyond the period of stay permitted. One of the tasks of the
Immigration Services Agency is to deport such foreign nationals
through procedures based on law and prevent harm to the
safety and interests of Japanese citizens. The Immigration
Control and Refugee Recognition Act stipulates the cases
requiring deportation.
The number of foreign nationals illegally staying beyond
their authorized period of stay in Japan peaked in 1993 (about
299,000). Although the increase has been halted, the number
still stands at about 83,000, and most of them are thought to
be working illegally.
The presence of foreign nationals working illegally undermines
the legal system for accepting foreign nationals, and not
only negatively affects the Japanese labor market, but also
causes a multitude of problems in various areas such as public
morals and public safety. On the other hand, there have been
cases where foreign nationals are forced to work under poor
conditions.
In deciding whether to deport or not, the process of
ascertaining the facts and considering the circumstances of
the foreign nationals through investigation, examination into
violation, and hearing is carefully carried out.
This series of steps is called the "deportation procedures."
Foreign nationals who fall under the grounds for deportation
will be subject to deportation procedures. In Japan, however, not
all foreign nationals who fall under the grounds for deportation
stipulated in the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition
Act will be deported. The Minister of Justice may grant special
permission to stay in Japan
to some foreign nationals,
considering their social
back ground in Japan and
family circumstances, etc.
Japan became a signatory to the "Convention Relating to
the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention)" in 1981 and
has established a system for recognition of refugee status.
The definition of a refugee is a "person who owing to a well-
founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular social group or political
opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or,
owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection
of that country. "
Upon an application for recognition of refugee status from
a foreign national staying in Japan, the foreign national is
examined to ascertain whether or not he/she is a refugee.
When the foreign national is recognized as a refugee, he/she is
provided protection as stipulated in the convention; for example,
recognized refugees may be issued a "refugee travel document"
to travel abroad.
In 2020, the number of those who made applications for
recognition of refugee status totaled 3,936 persons, a decrease
of 6,439 persons, or about 62%, from the previous year. The
number of those who were recognized as refugees in 2020
was 47 (of whom 1 was recognized as a refugee after filing
an objection). The number of those who were not recognized
as refugees but were allowed to stay in Japan owing to
humanitarian grounds was 44.
In addition, Japan accepts refugees through resettlement.
Between FY2010 and FY2014, Japan accepted a total of 18
Myanmarese families constituting 86 Myanmarese refugees,
who had been given temporary asylum in Thailand, as a Pilot
Project for third-country resettlement, and provided settlement
support. In FY2015,
Japan started to accept Myanmarese
refugees, who had been given temporary asylum in Malaysia,
and 32 families constituting 108 Myanmarese refugees were
accepted from Malaysia between FY2015 and FY2019 (In
FY2020,
the spreading scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic
made third-country resettlement of refugees impossible.). With
the decision in 2019 to expand the coverage and number of
cases for accepting refugees, the Immigration Services Agency
has been continuously working to smoothly accept refugees in
cooperation with related ministries to reflect the government’s
policies.
Since accepting Indochinese refugees from 1978, Japan has
accepted not only refugees under the Refugee Convention
but also refugees for resettlement and people deserving
humanitarian consideration. As of the end of 2020, the total
number of such people (those who were offered asylum) was
15,063.
Promotion of Measures against IllegalResidents to Realize a Safe and Secure Society
Proper Protection of Refugees
Development of an Environment of Acceptance of Foreign Nationals to
Realize a Society of Harmonious Coexistence
Immigration Control Officers202
Immigration
ControlandResidency
Management2spread of COVID-19.
Highlights of the Comprehensive Measures (FY2021
revised)・
Formulation of work schedule for medium to long-term
challenges and measures which should be addressed to
realize a society of harmonious coexistence・
Implementation of screening by utilizing simple antigen kits
in education institutions and workplace where many foreign
nationals are enrolled, and implementation of prompt and
flexible PCR testing, etc.・
Dissemination and publicity of vaccination to foreign
residents, ensured delivery of vaccination notice, and
securing consultation and response systems in multiple
languages・
Preferential treatment of implementing organizations that
secure living environments for the technical intern trainees
in consideration of their privacy and prevention of infection
■しかく
Main Policies of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan
1 Support for One-stop Consulting Counters
Financial assistance through the "subsidies for preparations
for an environment for the acceptance of foreign nationals"
(referred to below as "subsidies") is provided to local
governments for the measures for establishment and
operation of the one-stop consulting counters through which
the local governments provide information and advice so
that when a foreign national living in Japan has questions or
concerns about various matters related to life such as the
residence procedures, employment, medical care, welfare,
childbirth, child care or child education, he/she will be able
to receive appropriate information or will be able to quickly
reach a place that offers advice and consultations. In FY2021,
there have been applications for subsidies from 214 local
governments as of April. It is expected that the one-stop
consulting counter that has received a subsidy will provide
appropriate information to the persons seeking advice
through consultations offered in numerous languages and
through coordination with the relevant organizations.2 Collaboration and Cooperation with Local Governments
through "Accepting Environment Coordinators"
In April 2019, "Accepting Environmental Coordinators",
who are in charge of adjusting the environment surrounding
the acceptance of foreign nationals, were assigned to the
regional immigration services bureaus, and officers of the
regional immigration services bureaus are sent to the one-
stop consulting counter based on a request from local
governments and information and training will be provided to
the officers of the local governments engaging in consultation
services.
By promoting multicultural coexistence policies in each
region through facilitating the establishment of councils for
the realization of a harmonious society of coexistence with
foreign nationals in each prefecture, useful information such
as good practices obtained through efforts by Accepting
Environmental Coordinators is deployed through local
governments.
3 Foreign Residents Support Center
The Foreign Residents Support Center (* FRESC) was
opened in July, 2020.
At the Resident Support Center, eight organizations from
four ministries and agencies, including the Tokyo Regional
Immigration Services Bureau, Tokyo Regional Legal Affairs
Bureau’s Civil Liberties Department and the "Houterasu"
Legal Aid information in English, have offices on one floor to
cope with inquiries regarding the renewal and changes in the
status of residence as well as various legal problems, respond
to inquiries from one-stop consultation counters at local
government offices, hold training sessions for administrative
officers of local governments through close cooperation
among them.
These efforts to effectively support foreign residents
have produced steady improvements in the environment
of harmonious coexistence between Japanese and foreign
nationals.
* Foreign Residents Support Center ("FRESC")
URL:https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/fresc/fresc01.html
4 Immigration Information Center
The Immigration Services Agency has set up the
"Immigration Information Center" with a single nationwide
phone number to help procedures related to entering and
residing in Japan, to provide information about how to fill in
relevant documents, etc., in multiple languages.
Moreover, the agency has placed counsellors at each
regional immigration services bureau and district offices
excluding airport offices, to cope with visitors’ inquiries.
5 Guidebook on Living and Working
The Immigration Services Agency has prepared a cross-
government "Guidebook on Living and Working" compiling
basic information necessary for safe and secure living
and working in Japan (residence procedures, labor-related
laws and regulations, social insurance, crime prevention,
traffic safety, etc.) , and has published this guidebook in
14 languages* on the "Daily Life Support Portal for Foreign
Nationals" website.*Japanese (including Plain Japanese), English, Chinese, Korean,
Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Thai, Indonesian,
Myanmarese, Khmer (Cambodian), Filipino, Mongolian
URL:https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/guidebook_all.html6 Plain Japanese Guidelines for Foreign Residents Support
In order to promote the use of plain Japanese by the
national government, local governments, and other entities,
expert meetings on the "Plain Japanese Guidelines for Foreign
Residents Support" have been held since February 2020, and
the "Plain Japanese Guidelines for Foreign Residents Support"
were prepared in August 2020.
These guidelines are available on the "Daily Life Support
Portal for Foreign Nationals" on the Immigration Services
Agency website. Efforts will be made to promote the use
of plain Japanese, such as providing information to local
governments and the relevant ministries and agencies, and
holding training for local government staff members.
URL:https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/portal/plainjapanese_
guideline.html21Promotion of Judicial System Reform3 The justice system has been expected to play an even larger role
in the 21st century due to various social changes, including change
from a society of ex-ante regulation and coordination to one of ex-
post facto checks and remedies, making it necessary to continue
strengthening judiciary function and establish a new legal system
that is readily accessible to the general public.
To achieve a justice system that is faster, more reliable, and more
familiar to the public, the Ministry has implemented reform based
on the following three fundamental principles: (1) construction of a
justice system that meets the expectations of citizens; (2) reform of
the legal community to support the justice system; and (3) estab-
lishment of the foundations of justice among citizens (citizen partic-
ipation in the justice system). A total of 24 acts related to judicial
system reform were enacted and implemented in the three years
from 2002 to 2004.
Now, we must work to establish this judicial system reform so that
the justice system can fully exercise its function and the public can
share in the fruits of reform, while amending the system if necessary.
Being in charge of the justice system, the Ministry of Justice is
ready to take appropriate measures to meet the demands of a new
age while giving due regard to the aims of judicial system reform.
Ensuring that the Results of Justice System Reforms Take Root
History of
Reform
July 1999▶ Justice System Reform Council (JSRC) within the Cabinet established
June 2001▶ Recommendations of the JSRC to the Cabinet submitted
December 2001▶ Office for Promotion of Justice System Reform (OPJSR) within the Cabinet established
(time limit for establishment: November 2004)
March 2002▶ Plan for Promotion of Justice System Reform approved by the Cabinet
December 2004▶ Office for Promotion of Justice System Reform established within the Cabinet Secretariat
(until: December 2009)
The Three
Pillars of the
Reform
●くろまるEstablishment of the Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu)
The Center aims to enable people throughout the country can get the information and services they need to
have recourse to the law in resolving disputes. (Concerning the Japan Legal Support Center, please see page
32 of "Implementation of the Comprehensive Legal Support by the Japan Legal Support Center")
●くろまるEnhancement of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
The function of ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), which allows for autonomous and flexible dispute
settlement, will be enhanced in addition to enhancing its functions of adjudication. (For enhancement of
ADR, please see page 31 of "Legal Services" )
●くろまるImprovement and Acceleration of Criminal Trials
Punitive authority shall be exercised more appropriately and expeditiously through the introduction of
pretrial arrangement proceedings and state-appointed counsel.
●くろまるPromoting Translation of Japanese Laws
Translation of Japanese laws shall be promoted in order to build a foundation for facilitating
international transactions and promoting direct foreign investment.
●くろまるEducation System Reform for the Legal Community
Cultivate the legal community through law schools, the national bar examination, and legal training.
●くろまるIncreasing the Number of Legal Professionals
Cultivate the legal community in terms of both quality and quantity, and increase the number of legal
professionals.
●くろまるLay Judge System -"Saiban-in System"
A system in which citizens participate in criminal trials. commenced May 21, 2009
●くろまるPromotion of Law-Related Education
Promote Law-Related Education which aims to understand laws, the judical system, and the values that
underlie them for cultivating people to maintain a free and just society.
Construction of a Justice System that Meets the Expectations of the People
Reform of the Legal Community
Establishment of the Foundations of Justice Among Citizens3PromotionofJudicial
System
Reform223
PromotionofJudicial
System
Reform
In order for Japanese laws to be broadly and correctly
understood, the Ministry of Justice is actively translating
Japanese laws into foreign languages and making them available
on the Ministry’s website. Over 800 English translations of the
laws, including the Civil Law and Companies Act, are published
on the Japanese Law Translation website (link on the right),
along with English translations of outlines of amended laws in an
easy-to-follow and timely manner. In addition to this, the
Standard Legal Terms Dictionary and other material serving as a
guideline for legal translation are also available on the site.
The Ministry of Justice will continue to publish information on
English translation of priority laws, and revisions to the Standard
Legal Terms Dictionary.
Promotion of Translation of Japanese Laws
With regard to the criminal justice system, a variety of re-
forms, such as the Saiban-in (lay judge) system, had been ad-
vanced as part of judicial system reform. On the other hand,
discussions on reform had highlighted problems, such as proce-
dural methods for investigations and trials suitable to this new
era, which remained on the agenda to be examined in the future.
Under those circumstances, questions had been raised about
whether the criminal justice system methods for investigations
and trials might be too dependent on interrogations and confes-
sion statements. In order for the system to fully achieve its goal
of ensuring the safe and secure livelihood of citizens, it was
necessary to examine diverse issues and to build a new criminal
justice system based on such suggestions.
In May 2011, in order to establish a new criminal justice sys-
tem that keeps pace with the times, the Minister of Justice
called on the Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice to
deliberate ways to develop substantive criminal and procedural
law relating to criminal cases, and in a report submitted to the
Minister in September 2014, the Council delivered two princi-
ples: (1) the moderation and the diversification of evidence-gath-
ering and (2) the improvement of trial procedure.
Based on this report, the Ministry of Justice prepared and
submitted a proposal for a bill to revise the Code of Criminal
Procedure and other codes to the 189th session of the Diet. The
bill was enacted in May 2016.
This act includes nine items necessary for the new criminal
justice system: i) introducing audiovisual recording systems for
interrogations, ii) introducing a prosecutorial agreement system
for cooperation in investigations and trials, iii) rationalizing and
streamlining the interception of electronic communication, iv)
clarifying elements for consideration concerning whether to ad-
mit discretionary bail, v) improving legal assistance by defense
counsels, vi) broadening information disclosure systems, vii) in-
troducing measures for protecting victims and witnesses, viii)
raising statutory penalties of crimes related to obstruction of
justice, and ix) introducing measures to simplify and accelerate
trials when defendants admit their guilt. The act incorporates all
the items mentioned above into the present criminal justice sys-
tem and aims to establish a more moderate and more effective
criminal justice system.
The provisions of this act was enforced sequentially by June
2019.
Establishing a New Criminal Justice System that Keeps Pace with the Times
Law-Related Education aims to enable citizens who are not
legal professionals to understand laws, the judicial system, and
the values that underlie them. Following the reforms in various fields and deregulation in
Japan, it has become even more crucial to prevent disputes and
solve them fairly based on law once they occur. Furthermore, as
the lay judge system(see page 28) symbolizes, it is essential for
every citizen to take an active role in the judicial system so that
it is supported nationally.
■しかく The Importance of Law-Related Education
The Courses of Study, the national curriculum standard, provides
that students study the basic concepts of laws, the significance of
public involvement in judicial proceedings, and the importance of
contract. In addition, Law-Related Education is becoming more
important with various changes in the social environment such as
lowering the legal age.
Considering the importance of Law-Related Education, the
Ministry of Justice is working on its improvement and development,
and will continue efforts to improve the content of Law-Related
Education at schools and other places in cooperation with Ministry
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and other
relevant organizations.
Enrichment and Development of Law-Related Education
■しかく Law-Related Education
The Japanese Law Translation website
http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jpYAKUJapanese Law Translation
Promotion Mascot
3 Promotion of Judicial System Reform23■しかく The Law-Related Education Promotion Council
"Hourisu-kun"
Law-Related Education mascot,
Hourism-kun plays an active role
in various law-related events to
make Law-Related Education more
familiar to the general public.
Appointment Procedure
※(注記)At this stage the candidates do not need
to appear in the court.
Persons selected by lot as next year’s candi-
dates for jurors are notified of their selec-
tion.
The candidates who have been further
selected by lot for each trial will be
notified of the date of their court
appearance by writ of summons.
Six jurors will be appointed through
procedure at court.
Around November About six weeks before
the trial
The day of the appointment
procedure
Duties of jurors
Jurors hear witness testimonies and exam-
ine the evidence.
Jurors and professional judges deliber-
ate and determine together whether the
defendant is guilty and what the
sentence will be.
Trial Deliberations
The presiding judge renders the judgment.
Judgment
For more information
about the system,
please refer to
our website
https://www.moj.go.jp/
keiji1/saibanin_index.html
A courtroom for jury trials Deliberation room
The Law-Related Education Promotion Council established by
the Ministry of Justice aims to increase opportunities to learn
about law and the judicial system and to promote Law-Related
Education in schools through such activities as developing
teaching materials for Law-Related Education.
The Ministry of Justice will continue its efforts to enhance and
develop Law-Related Education for citizens, especially those
involved in education.
Commenced May 21, 2009, Saiban-in System is a system in
which jurors selected from the general public participate in the
criminal trials for serious cases. The jurors, along with
professional judges, determine whether the defendant is guilty
and what the sentence should be.
This system will make the justice system more familiar to
citizens.
The Ministry of Justice has conducted public relations in order
to deepen citizen understanding of this system.
Saiban-in System24Realization of Basic Rights for People4 As a regional organization of the Ministry of Justice, the Legal
Affairs Bureau is responsible for civil administrative affairs that
protect the property and
identity of citizens, such as
registration, family register,
nationality, deposits, and
storage of will, as well as lit-
igation work relevant to the
interests of the State and
the human rights affairs
that protect basic human
rights.
Real Property Registration is a system that records the actual
condition of our important property, including the location and area
of land and buildings, the name and address of the owner, and the
rights involved in a public book called a registry in a way that anyone
can understand so as to create safe, smooth real estate dealings.
If you have acquired real estate, you can assert your rights
against third parties if you have a registration showing that you
have done so.
In addition, as shown in the Q&A on the left, for the proper
management of the land, it is extremely important to make sure
that the inheritance is registered when you inherit the real
estate. If you do not register the inheritance, the land will
become an unclaimed land, which may cause various problems.
Conflicts on the inheritance in case there are other heirs besides
you may take a lot of time and effort in order to find out who the
heir is, making it difficult to dispose of the land immediately even
if you want to.
Why not secure your rights and register inheritance, passing it
along to the future of the next generation of children?
After years of saving, I have finally bought my dream home
and moved in. However, there is a vacant plot of land in the
neighborhood which has been illegally dumped on, and the
smell is annoying. When we checked the register, we found
out that the owner of the land is a person who bought the
land a long time ago and has passed away, and we don’t know
who inherited the land. I heard that the number of land whose
owner is unknown is increasing recently, is this true?
In recent years, due to the lack of inheritance registration
and other reasons, there has been an increase in the number
of lands whose owners cannot be immediately identified from
the register, or cannot be contacted even if they are identified
(unclaimed land), which is said to have reached an area equiv-
alent to the Kyushu region. As a result, public works and pri-
vate transactions do not proceed smoothly, and the land is
not managed, which has a negative impact on the neighbor-
hood and has become a social problem.
In order to solve the problem of unclaimed land, legislation
has been introduced to make it compulsory to apply for inher-
itance registration (p.28).
The Legal Affairs Bureaus are divided into 8 blocks nationwide, with
a Legal Affair Bureau in charge of each block (8 bureaus), and placed
under these Legal Affairs Bureaus are the District Legal Affairs Bu-
reaus, which are generally responsible for prefectural units (42 bu-
reaus).
Moreover, Branch District Legal Affairs Bureaus and Branch Offices
have been placed under the Legal Affairs Bureaus and District Legal
Affairs Bureaus.
The Legal Affairs Bureaus, District Legal Affairs Bureaus and Branch
District Legal Affairs Bureaus
are responsible for registra-
tion, family register, nationality,
deposit office deposits, stor-
age of will, litigation, and hu-
man rights affairs, while
Branch Offices are mainly re-
sponsible for registration.
Legal Affairs Bureau
System for Documenting Your Rights
◆だいやまーく Registration (This system creates a public register on property and rights for the Legal Affairs Bureau and announces it to the public.)
■しかく Responsibilities of the Legal Affairs Bureau
■しかく 
Protecting Assets:
Real Property Registration
If it is not possible to identify the owner
by checking the register...
■しかく Registering your inheritance for the future
■しかく Organization of the Legal Affairs Bureau
Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau
For further details, please check
the Legal Affairs Bureau website.
https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/homu/
static/index.html
Total Number of Registrations (2020)
Other
registrations
214,578
Real estate
property
registrations
10,615,725
Commercial and
corporate
registrations
1,547,809
Total number of
applications for
registration
12,378,112QA
State of the Legal Affairs
Bureau4RealizationofBasic
RightsforPeople25 In order to clarify the exact location and dimensions of
registered land, the registry office includes in the registration
documents a map called a Registry Office Designated Map,
created by high-precision surveying. However, since maintenance
of Registry Office Designated Maps is insufficient because many
registry offices use old maps created in the Meiji era, experts
with specialized knowledge and many years of experience in the
registry office have promoted the creation of Registry Office
Designated Maps around the country.
Parcel Boundary Demarcation is a system in which, based on
requests from registered landowners, Registrars for Parcel
Boundary Demarcation specify the location of land boundaries
on-site based on the opinion of external experts called Parcel
Boundary Examiners. Registrars for Parcel Boundary Demarca-
tion do not make decide new
boundaries, but rather clarify
original boundaries set at the
time of registration after con-
ducting a range of investiga-
tions, including field research
and surveys.
When issues regarding parcel
boundaries arise, use of this
system makes it possible to re-
solve of the problem without
filing for litigation promptly.
Commercial registration is a system for publicly notifying names,
addresses and board members of companies (stock companies,
general partnership companies, limited partnership companies, and
limited liability companies), while corporate registration is a system for
publicly notifying those of corporations other than companies (including
general incorporated associations, general incorporated foundations,
NPOs, and social welfare corporations).
Companies and corporations can obtain legal personality only after
they register their establishment and maintain the public’s confidence
by registering their basic information. Commercial registration also
helps them ensure safe and smooth transactions through being publicly
notify by certificate of register etc,. As information must be correctly
registered in line with the actual information of the companies, they
must attach supporting documents upon registration application. False
statements and negligence in applications will result in legal punishment.
Furthermore, to improve the entrepreneurial environment, we are
working on expediting the registration process of company
incorporation (fast-tracking) and the processing of incorporation
registrations within 24 hours for fully online applications.
With regard to dormant companies (stock companies for which 12 years
have passed since the last registration)/dormant general corporations
(general incorporated associations/foundations for which 5 years have
passed since the last registration), it is highly likely that their business has
already been discontinued and they do not exist as an entity, and they may
be used for crime and cause damage the public confidence in the commer-
cial registration system if their registrations remain unchanged. According-
ly, the Minister of Justice makes a public announcement for dormant com-
panies etc. every year. If the dormant companies/dormant general
corporations do not register a change in directors, etc. or notify the fact
that it has not abolished its business within two months, they will be deemed
to be dissolved and to be registered ex officio.
When the land around Roppongi Hills was redeveloped, it
took considerable time and money to define land parcel
boundaries because only the old map existed.
In order to prevent such problems, a highly accurate Registry
Office Designated Map is required. The development of
Registry Office Designated Maps supports smoother economic
activities such as land development.
A parcel boundary is a line that defines the position and
dimensions of the land at the time of registration. The parcel
boundary cannot be changed through agreements between
the owners.
■しかく 
Define Your Parcel of Land Clearly:
Creating a Registry Office Designated Map
■しかく Solving Boundary Disputes
-Parcel Boundary Demarcation-
■しかく 
Ensuring safe economic activities
-Commercial and Corporate Registration-
■しかく 
Achieving a highly transparent registration
-Arrangement of dormant companies/dormant general corporations-
What is a Parcel Boundary?
Old Map Registry Office Designated Map
Public awareness poster for the
Parcel Boundary Demarcation system
Economic Activity and
Registry Office Designated Maps
The Legal Affairs Bureau issues commercial registration electronic
certificates to representatives of companies and corporations based on
the commercial registration information. A commercial registration
electronic certificate is an electronic proof of the identity of the
representative of a company/corporation, and is an alternative to a seal-
registration certificate in written documents. Commercial registration
electronic certificates are essential to a digital society, so that they can be
used in several online administrative procedures and electronic commercial
transactions, and are proof for the recipient of the electronic document
that the person who created the document is the representative of the
company/corporation, and also proves that the electronic document has
not been tampered or others.
■しかく 
Infrastructure of Digital Society
-Electronic Certification System Based on Commercial Registration-
4 Realization of Basic Rights for People264
RealizationofBasic
RightsforPeople
Family registration is a system that notarizes kinship of a person
from birth until death. A family register is made for every Japanese
national. A transcript of a family register is the only public document
that notarizes a person’s Japanese nationality. Family registration is
handled by each city, town or village, but the State (Director of the
Legal Affairs Bureau or the District Legal Affairs Bureau) gives advice,
suggestions or instructions to ensure that registration is performed in
a smooth, proper, and uniform manner throughout the country.
In recent years, the existence of people for whom a birth certificate
has not been issued and are thus not entered in a family register has
become social issue. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice has posted an
explanation of the procedure for entering such persons in a family
register on the Ministry of Justice website.
(https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji04_00034.html)
Nationality is the qualification of an individual to be a national
of a particular country. The Ministry of Justice performs various
functions related to Japanese nationality, including the following.
❶ 
Work related to naturalization when a foreign national
wishes to acquire Japanese nationality
❷ 
Work related to applications for acquisition of Japanese
nationality
❸ 
Work related to applications for renouncement of Japa-
nese nationality
❹ 
Work related to recognition of Japanese nationality
❺ 
Consultation concerning nationality*An amended Civil Code was enacted on April 1, 2022, which
changed the age of majority. Due to this, in Nationality Act, the
age was lowered from "20 years old" to "18 years old" (from "22
years old" to "20 years old").
◆だいやまーくFamily Registration
◆だいやまーくNationality (Citizenship)
Statistics on Family Registration (from Apr. 2020 to Mar. 2021)
Total Number of Naturalizations Approved
Deaths
1,807,845
Others
1,366,911
Births
1,220,618
Divorces
314,950
Marriages
1,237,335
Total
5,947,659
2018 2019 year20208,453
9,074 9,0790(persons)500010000
15000
Furthermore, we (Ministry of Justice) plan to construct a new
system to make it possible to omit transcripts or extracts of family
registers in some administrative procedures due to participate in the
My Number System and to issue transcripts or extracts of one’s own
family registers and of their lineal relatives and their spouse outside
the municipality of registered domicile (The new system operation will
begin in 2024.).
The Adult Guardianship System is designed to protect and support
those unable to make decisions for themselves due to conditions such
as dementia, intellectual disability, or psychiatric disorders, by
appointing adult guardians to handle affairs, such as managing assets
or entering into contracts, on their behalf.
In the Adult Guardianship Registration system, a registrar registers
the authority of the adult guardians appointed by the court, and
registers the details of voluntary guardian contracts made by notarial
deed, and this information is made public in the form of a certificate.
In addition to the above-mentioned legal systems, we have promoted
various measures to establish a registration system appropriate to
today’s advanced information society, including enhancing the
organization of personnel working in clerical registration, establishing
work processing systems such as mechanization and streamlining of
office work, optimizing registration office placement, and improving
government buildings.
Also, in order to meet the needs of today’s IT advances, we have
introduced a registry information service through which registered
information can be verified online and have also made available online
registration applications for real property, commerce and incorporation,
transfer of assigned movables, transfer of receivables, and adult
guardianship registration.
■しかく 
Adult Guardianship System and Adult
Guardianship Registration System
■しかく Efforts to Implement Registration
https://www.moj.go.jp/housei/toukei/toukei_ichiran_koseki.html27then the original will and its image data shall be recorded , stor-
age and managed in safe in this system.
After the commencement of inheritance, heirs and others can
inspect the stored will and obtain a certificate of will to check its
content. If one of the heirs inspects
the will or obtains a certificate, the oth-
er heirs will be noticed that the will is
stored. If the will storage officer con-
firms the fact that the testator has
died, one of the heirs that the testator
specified will be noticed that the will is
stored. In these ways, they can imme-
diately recognize the existence of the
will. In addition, the stored wills are not
required to be probated at the respec-
tive family courts.
4 Realization of Basic Rights for People
The deposit system is designed to accomplish certain legal
objectives by submitting money or negotiable securities to na-
tional organizations called deposit offices, entrusting manage-
ment to the deposit office, who ultimately allows the rights hold-
er to acquire the assets.
An online deposit application system has been implemented in
response to IT advances in today’s society, and in an effort to
reduce the burden on applicants, deposit applications for pend-
ing cases can be made easily by presenting a deposit card, and
a large number of deposit applications can be made at the same
time using a dedicated application system tool.
The storage of will system is a system related to the storage
of wills made by holograph document of Article 968 of the Civil
Code (Act No. 89 of 1896) at 312 will archives nationwide (the
headquarters and branch offices of the Legal Affairs Bureau and
District Legal Affairs Bureau). A will made by holograph docu-
ment of Article 968 of the Civil Code (Act No.89 of 1896) can
be made at no special cost as long as the testator has the ability
to write, and it is easy and flexible for the testator. On the other
hand, it does not required for a third party to be involved in the
writing and storage, it is said that after the commencement of
inheritance, there are some risks that a dispute may arise re-
garding the authenticity and content of the will, or that heirs
may divide the inheritance without recognizing the existence of
the will.
The storage of will system can reduce these risk, because
when applying for storage, a holographic will is externally veri-
fied though the process of this system whether it is written in
accordance with the method stipulated in the Civil code and
Notarization is a system under which a notary, a State agent
whose function is to officially certify legal matters related to the
legal life of a private person, such as contracts, certifies matters
as prescribed by law by such means as creating documents. By
having a notary participate in the preparation of the contract in
advance and check the legality and the validity of the contents,
this system guarantees the protection of individual’s rights and
helps prevent possible future legal disputes, and in this sense, is
a preventive justice system.
Notaries are commissioned by the persons or parties involved
to create notarized documents such as wills, certify private doc-
uments and articles of incorporation, and attaching a certified
date.
◆だいやまーくDeposits
◆だいやまーくStorage of will
◆だいやまーくNotary System
Number of Deposits (from Apr.2020 to Mar.2021)
■しかくNumber of Cases ■しかくAmount of Money
Deposits received
Deposits paid out
Deposits received
Deposits paid out
276,004 383,859,294,175 yen
238,412 244,637,032,036 yen
Igonsyo-Hokangaroo
With regard to digital documents, notaries can certify private
documents, articles of incorporation, attach certified dates, and
save or certification of digital information (electric notary sys-
tem).
Notaries are appointed, instructed, and supervised by the Min-
ister of Justice (Legal Affairs Bureau directors, District Legal
Affairs Bureau directors). About 500 notaries are working in
about 300 notary offices throughout the country.284
RealizationofBasic
RightsforPeopleAQ
Featured Article!
Development of basic civil laws
How have the basic civil rules been progressed as
our lifestyle and environment changes rapidly?QThere are various fundamental laws on civil affairs, such the
Civil Code, the Commercial Code, the Companies Act, and the
Code of Civil Procedure, which stipulate the basic rules for citizen’ s
daily lives and economic transactions, the family system, and judicial
proceedings. Recently in Japan, socioeconomic circumstances have
changed significantly, with great diversification in the public, which is
why the Ministry of Justice is conducting necessary examinations and
reviews to make the fundamental civil laws that can handle these
changes and are well-suited to the current era. The Ministry also deliv-
ers its views on bills governed by other ministries and agencies
regarding consistency with fundamental law from a position of
jurisdiction over basic civil law.
●くろまるThe legal age of adulthood has been lowered to 18.
The legal age of adulthood has been lowered to 18 on April 1, 2022.
By lowering the age of adulthood, those who are 18 and 19 years of
age have been able to conclude various contracts without parental
consent.
For instance, they can buy a mobile phone or rent an apartment to
live alone.
Meanwhile, some age limits on drinking alcohol, smoking, buying
betting tickets for horse and bike races have remained at the age of 20.
●くろまるCivil Code
In 2017, the Civil Code was revised, reviewing the overall regulations
related to credit.
In 2018, a partial amendment was made to the Civil Code to lower
the age of majority to 18 years and raise the marriageable age for
women to 18 years (making the marriageable age 18 years for both
men and women).
In addition to these revisions, provisions of the Civil Code concern-
ing inheritance have been amended, and the new procedure in which
testators can deposit their holograph wills with the Legal Affairs
Bureaus has also been introduced.
In 2019, a partial amendment was made to the Civil Code to raise
the target age of person to be adopted concerning the special adop-
tion system, which is a type of adoption system that extinguishes the
legal relationship between an adopted child and his / her natural
parents and relative by bloods.
Furthermore,in 2021,the Civil Code and the Real Property Registra-
tion Act were amended, and a new act was legislated to enable
landowners to transfer the inherited land to the National Treasury under
certain conditions, in order to resolve the issue of "unclaimed land".
Also, we are currently reviewing articles related to the disciplinary
rights and articles related to the system of the presumption of child in
wedlock in order to prevent from child abuse and to resolve the social
issue that there are people who are not entered in a family register.
●くろまるNew systems to eliminate unclaimed land will come into effect
from April 2023.
In April 2021, a review of the basic civil laws was carried out in order
to drastically solve the problem of unclaimed land. New systems will be
enforced sequentially from 2023.
First of all, from the viewpoint of "future prevention", the Real Prop-
erty Registration Act has been amended. Under the new legislation,
you must apply for inheritance registration and change of address
registration, which were previously considered optional, and a package
of measures has been taken to simplify and streamline these proce-
dures. In addition, a new act has been legislated to establish a new
system in which landowners can transfer the inherited land to the
National Treasury with the approval of the Minister of Justice.
In addition, from the viewpoint of "facilitation of use", the Civil Code
has been amended to introduce a new property administration system
which is specialized for managing real property with unknown owners.
●くろまるCommercial Code, Companies Act
In 2018, a partial amendment was made to the Commercial Code
related to transport and maritime commerce (corporate activities
involving the use of seafaring ships, such as sea transport).
In 2019, the amended Companies Act was enacted, with revisions
including: the establishment of a system for providing general share-
holder meeting materials in electronic format, the preparation of regu-
lations against the abuse of shareholder’ s right to propose and those
regarding director remuneration and company indemnification, and the
mandatory appointment of at least one outside director by companies
with a board of company auditors. It is expected that the amendment
will further improve the corporate governance of Japanese companies
and increase the competitiveness of Japanese companies and the
trust from domestic and foreign investors in Japanese companies,
which in turn will significantly contribute to the growth of the Japanese
economy.
●くろまるCivil Procedural Laws
In April 2020, a partial Amended Civil Execution Act came into force
to provide rules regarding the improvement of the effectiveness of the
debtor’s property disclosure system, etc.
Since May 2021, procedures for a third party to obtain all informa-
tion about the debtor’s property have been put in place, allowing the
third party to access information about the debtor’s deposits and
savings, shares, real property, place of employment and the like, includ-
ing information related to regulations that have yet to be enforced.
Furthermore, we are currently working on digitization of court
proceedings regarding domestic relations case, civil provisional reme-
dies, civil execution and insolvency etc., as well as reviewing articles of
the Civil Procedure for digitization, in order to make them more usable.
Hi, my name is Toukitsune.
Touki(登記)means registration and kitsune
means a fox!
I'm encouraging real property registration.
For more information, please check the
Ministry of Justice website!.
・・・A racoon? No!!
Real Property Registration
Promotion Mascot
Toukitsune294 Realization of Basic Rights for People
Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
(Human Rights Counseling, Investigation and Remedy Procedures, Human Rights Awareness Raising, and More)
Associations of human rights volunteers
(Report, adjustment, research, and opinion
exchange, etc. between human rights volunteers)
About 14,000 Human Rights Volunteers in cities,
towns and villages all over Japan
(Apr. 1, 2021)
Ministry of Justice (Human Rights Bureau)
Human Rights Division of
District Legal Affairs Bureau
Human Rights Department of
Legal Affairs Bureau
Branch Bureau (261)
Human Rights Volunteers Councils (314)
Regional Association of Human Rights Volunteers (8)
National Federation of Associations
of Human Rights Volunteers
Prefectural Association of Human Rights Volunteers (50)
42 District Legal Affairs Bureaus
located at the seats of prefectural
governments excluding those where
Legal Affairs Bureaus are situated (In
addition, located in Hakodate,
Asahikawa, and Kushiro in Hokkaido)
8 Legal Affairs Bureaus in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,
Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo and Takamatsu
Chart of Human Rights Bodies of the Ministry of Justice
There are various human rights violation cases (cases where
human rights violations are suspected), including assault and
abuse of women, children, and the elderly; bullying at schools;
compulsion and coercion in the forms of sexual harassment,
power harassment, and stalking; and slandering on the Internet,
and more. The Human Rights Bodies have taken measures to
seek a remedy and prevent damages in human rights violation
cases, such as providing assistance to victims (introducing
relevant authorities or organizations, giving legal advice, etc.),
conciliating the parties involved, as well as providing "instruction"
and "recommendations" to the other party when violation of
human rights is recognized.
■しかく 
Investigation and Remedy Procedures
for Human Rights Violation Cases
Number of Human Rights Violation Cases (from Jan. 1 to Dec.31, 2020)
privacy violation
1,741
assault, abuse
1,578
violation of the
security of
residence and living
1,017
compulsion,
coercion
1,013
worker’s rights violation
1,313
bullying in schools
1,126
discriminatory
treatment669violation of rights
by special public officials 111
violation of rights
by other public officials156violation of rights
in welfare facilities71
others 297
violation of rights
by prison officials 62
violation of ights by
school teachers435Total
9,589
Human rights counseling is available for all kinds of human
rights problems, with counselors providing advice depending on
the content. When human rights violations are suspected, the
human rights bodies initiate an investigation in accordance with
the consulter’s consent. The counseling services is free of
charge, with no difficult procedures, and is strictly confidential.
●くろまるHuman Rights Counseling Centers
Human rights counseling centers are permanently installed at
Legal Affairs Bureaus, District Legal Affairs Bureaus and their
branches across the nation, with interview-style counseling,
phone counseling, and counseling on the Internet(including SNS)
available, as well as "Human Rights Counseling Center for
Foreigners", "Foreign-language Human Rights Hotline", and
"Foreigh Language Human Rights Counseling Services on the
Internet" in the ten languages which provide counseling through
interpreters for foreigners unable to speak Japanese fluently.
●くろまるChildren’s Rights SOS Mini-Letters
Legal Affairs Bureaus and District Legal Affairs Bureaus
nationwide have actively responded to consultations from
children through "Children’s Rights SOS Mini-Letters" (letter
paper with a pre-stamped envelope), which are distributed to
elementary and junior high school students nationwide as part
of an effort to solve human rights problems involving children,
such as bullying and corporal punishment at school and
domestic child abuse.
■しかく Human Rights Counseling
Children’s Rights SOS Mini-Letters
(for elementary school students)
Human rights Campaign characters
Jin-KEN-Mamoru-Kun & Jin-KEN-Ayumi-Chan304
RealizationofBasic
RightsforPeople
English
Chinese
Korean
Filipino
Portuguese
Vietnamese
Nepalese
Spanish
IndonesianThai0570−003−110
0120−007−110
0570−070−810
0570−090−911 https://www.jinken.go.jp/
(nationwide)
(nationwide toll-free number)
(nationwide)
(nationwide)
Human Rights
Hotline
Children's Rights
Hotline
Women's Rights
Hotline
Foreign-language
Human Rights
HotlinePCSmartphone
Mobile
Human Rights Counseling Services on the Internet Search
Click
Counseling Services
Human Rights Volunteers are private citizens appointed by the
Minister of Justice. The system of Human Rights Volunteers was
introduced in 1948 based on the concept that the government and
citizens should work together to protect human rights of local
residents, and there are currently about 14,000 Human Rights
Volunteers (about 6,600 of whom are women) across the country
working to solve human rights problems through raising awareness
and providing counseling on human rights in cooperation with Legal
Affairs Bureau and District Legal Affairs Bureau officials.
■しかく Human Rights Volunteers
The human rights bodies of the Ministry of Justice have been
carrying out various activities to improve each citizen’s
awareness and understanding of human rights.
Some examples of the activities are the holding of symposiums
and lectures; conducting various forms of training such as
Human Rights Lectures; utilizing publicity using broadcasts such
as TV and radio, etc.; running articles in newspapers and public
relations magazines; and displaying banner ads on the internet.
These activities are collectively called "human rights awareness-
raising activities."
Human rights awareness-raising activities are indispensable in
preventing human rights violations in advance.
■しかく Awareness-Raising for Human Rights
poster "The Priority Goal of
Awareness-Raising Activities"
●くろまる
Human Rights awareness-Raising Activities Aimed at Children
"National Essay Contest on Human Rights for Junior High
School Students"
The National Essay Contest on Human Rights for Junior High School
Students is an awareness-raising activity designed to enable junior high
school students to deepen their understanding of the importance and
necessity of respect for human rights and to foster awareness of hu-
man rights through writing essays on human rights issues.
"Human Rights Lectures"
The human rights lectures is an awareness-raising activity for children
aimed at nurturing compassion and understanding the preciousness of
life by creating opportunities to think about such topics as bullying. The
lecture targets mainly elementary and junior high school students, and
carried out under the initiative of Human Rights Volunteers nationwide.
"The Human Rights Flower Campaigns"
The Human Rights Flower Campaigns is an awareness-raising activity
carried out mainly for elementary school students in which children
grow flower seeds or bulbs through cooperation, helping them realize
the preciousness of life and gain kindness and compassion.
Human Rights Flower Campaign
Human rights lectures314 Realization of Basic Rights for People
Legal Services
In order to obtain the attorney qualification, a person is re-
quired to complete a legal apprentice training course after pass-
ing the national bar examination in principle. However, as an ex-
ception to this, the attorney qualification through the Attorney
Certification System with the approval of the Minister of Justice
shall be given to those who have passed the national bar exami-
nation and have acquired a certain level of actual legal practice
experience in a corporation, etc.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for work concerning the
certification of the attorney qualification.
■しかく Attorney Certification System
■しかく 
Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi
(Registered Foreign Lawyers)
The Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi system is designed to permit a
person, qualified as a lawyer in foreign jurisdiction, to handle
specific legal services in Japan as a registered foreign lawyer
without qualification examinations.
To become a registered foreign lawyer, the qualified foreign
lawyer must be approved by the Minister of Justice in accord-
ance with the Act on Special Measures concerning the Handling
of Legal Services by Foreign Lawyers, and obtain registration in
the Roster of Registered Foreign Lawyers kept by the Japan
Federation of Bar Association.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for work concerning the
approval of qualifications for registered foreign lawyers.
In order to promote the disposal of non-performing loans and
thereby contribute to the sound development of the national
economy, the Act on Special Measures Concerning the Claims
Servicing Business (Servicer Act; Act No. 126 of 1998) was en-
acted on February 1, 1999 as an exception to the Attorney Act.
Servicers licensed by the Minister of Justice are allowed to
manage and collect specified monetary claims provided in the
Servicer Act.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for reviewing approvals
of claim management and collection, as well as for supervising
servicers to ensure appropriate practices through on-site in-
spections.
■しかく Claim Management and Collection
Companies (Servicers)
■しかく Certified Dispute Resolution Business Operators
The Act on Promotion of Use of Alternative Dispute Resolu-tion(Act No. 151 of 2004)
, enacted on April 1, 2007 as part of
the reform of the judicial system, has introduced a system in
which the Minister of Justice certifies private dispute resolution
services (conciliation and intercession services performed by
private businesses on a civil dispute), when legal criteria and
requirements are met and the service is deemed appropriate, to
promote the use of alternative dispute resolution processes
(procedures for the resolution of a civil dispute between parties
who seek, with the involvement of a fair third party, a resolution
without using legal procedures).
Certified dispute resolution business operators (private busi-
nesses certified by the Minister of Justice) resolve disputes, uti-
lizing professional knowledge and experience to accurately meet
the diverse needs of citizens.
The number of certified dispute resolution business operators
increased from 10 in FY 2007 when the system was launched to
over 150 in FY 2018, with the area of disputes handled growing
more diversified and accessibility to the system further im-
proved.
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for work concerning the
certification of private dispute resolution services and undertak-
ing various efforts to ensure that procedures for conciliation
taken by certified dispute resolution operators are used exten-
sively as an accessible means of resolving disputes.
認証紛争解決サービス
https://www.moj.go.jp/KANBOU/ADR/index.html
■しかく Judicial Scriveners
Judicial scriveners are legal experts whose purpose is to help
protect the rights and interests of citizens, and who register real
estate and commercial registration on behalf of the client, as
well as prepare documents for the court. Since 2003, judicial
scriveners, certified by the Minister of Justice after completing
the designated training, may engage in civil procedures on be-
half of clients at summary courts. Furthermore,
since 2006, they may undertake proceedings as representatives
in identifying registered land parcel boundary demarcations
within a certain range.
The Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice is responsi-
ble for the judicial scriveners system.
Land and house investigators contribute to the clarification of
rights of the people related to real estate, and take charge of
necessary investigations, surveys, and application procedures of
lands and buildings for registering real estate on behalf of a cli-
ent. Since 2006, land and house investigators approved by the
Minister of Justice after completing a certain training to act as
agents in proceedings to identify registered land parcel sections
may undertake proceedings for solving civil disputes originating
from unclear registration of land parcel sections, and dispute
resolution business operators engaged in proceedings must be
designated by the Minister of Justice, with operations carried
out jointly with attorneys-at-law.
The Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice is responsi-
ble for the land and house investigators system.
■しかく Land and House Investigators324
RealizationofBasic
RightsforPeople
Implementation of the Comprehensive Legal Support by the Japan Legal Support Center
The Comprehensive Legal Support Act was approved at the
2004 ordinary Diet session. The Act is based on the Compre-
hensive Legal Support Plan designed to establish a comprehen-
sive support framework in which people throughout the country
can get the information and services they need to have recourse
to the law in resolving disputes regardless of whether it relates
to a civil or criminal matter so that the justice system becomes
more accessible to citizens.
●くろまるThe Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu)
The Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu) is a corporation
established within the framework of an independent administra-
tive agency and forms the core of the Comprehensive Legal
Support Plan, with the Ministry of Justice as its competent min-
istry.
Houterasu was established in April 2006 with the purpose of
promptly and properly implementing operations related to com-
prehensive legal support, and commenced its operations in Oc-
tober of the same year. The popular name Houterasu, a play on
words meaning either "shining a light on law" or "law terrace",
reflects the desire to "shed light on the path to solving legal
troubles for the confused" and "to be a kind of sunny terrace
where people can relax."
The principal work of Houterasu consists of the following five
services as prescribed in Article 30, Paragraph 1 of the Compre-
hensive Legal Support Act:
❶ Information Services
❷ Civil Legal Aid
❸ Legal Aid for Criminal Defense
❹ Measures for Areas with Limited Legal Services
❺ Support to Crime Victims
Building cooperating with relevant organizations required for
these five services is also part of the work at Houterasu. More-
over, Houterasu may also provide services entrusted by national
and local government, non-profit organizations and others, pro-
vided this does not hinder these core services (Article 30, Para-
graph 2).
■しかく What is the Comprehensive
Legal Support Plan?
■しかく 
Outline of the Operations of Houterasu
●くろまる
●くろまる
Provision of free information for the settlement of legal problems.
Information Services
https://www.houterasu.or.jp
THE JAPAN LEGAL SUPPORT CENTER
(Houterasu Support Dial)
(Crime Victims Support Line)
Organizations and
other persons that
cooperate with the
Japan Legal Support
Center for settlement
of legal problems
-Local
governments
-Legal experts such
as attorneys-at-law
and judicial scriveners,etc.-Organizations and
other persons
providing assistance
for victims, etc.
Users
(General
Public)MainServices
Provision of
information/
services
for settlement of
legal problems
Consultation
Coordinationandcooperation
0570−078374
0570−079714☎☎
●くろまる Civil Legal Aid
Free legal consultations for persons of limited means for legal
problems, or granting of loans for them to cover the expenses of
trials, etc.
●くろまる Measures for Areas with Limited Legal Services
Establishment of regional offices and provision of entire legal
affairs services in areas where legal services are hard to access
●くろまる Support to Crime Victims
Referral to attorneys-at-law who are well versed in offering
assistance to victims, and provision of free infromation concerning
organizations providing assistance for victims.
Services relating to Court-Appointed Defense Counsel
Ensuring the system for the prompt and proper appointment of
court-appointed defense counsel, etc. and court-appointed
attorneys-at-law for victims.
Prosecution
Admission
Summary proceedings
Identification
Court
Fine, minor fine
Suspension of execution of sentence
Not guilty, etc.
Protective measures
Suspension of execution of sentence
with probationary supervision
Women’s
Guidance Home
Release on parole
Detention in a work house
Fine, minor fine
Revocation, etc.
Release on parole
Public
Prosecutors Office
Police, etc.
Offense
Referral to
a public prosecutor
Prison
Probation Office
Non-prosecution
Investigation initiated by a public prosecutor, etc.
Disposition of trivial cases
Pecuniary penalty against traffic violations
Acceptance
Release on expiry of term
of probation and parole, etc.
Release on expiry of term
of protective measures
Admission
Release on expiry of full
prison sentence
Acceptance
Imprisonment with or
without work, Penal detention
Acceptance
Process of Criminal Cases Committed by Adults
Theft
10.0%
Road Traffic
Law violations
30.4%
Causing death or
injury through
negligence in
vehicle driving
34.4%
Other offenses
11.7%
Special law
offenses
42.1%
Penal Code
offenses
57.9%
Other offenses9.0%Suspension of
institution of
prosecution
48.1%
Injury4.5%Insufficient
evidence
for prosecution4.9%Prosecutions
instituted
27.2%
Other decisions
18.0%
Other decisions
13.4%
Other
dispositions1.9%Referrals to
the family court4.6%Nonprosecution
54.8%
●くろまるThe proportion is rounded off to the first decimal places. Therefore,the sum of the composition rates do not add up to 100.0.
By type and name of offense
■しかく By dispositions rendered
■しかく
Total
932,286
Total
persons persons
932,286
Cases Handled at Public Prosecutors Offices Nationwide (2020)
■しかく Process of Criminal Cases Committed by Adults〈Figure 1〉
Enforcement of Proper Criminal Policy533345
EnforcementofProper
Criminal
Policy
Total
11,195
■しかくParolees from penal institution
●くろまるParolees from penal institution : Persons permitted release on parole from a penal institution
●くろまるPersons on probation with suspension of execution of the sentence: Persons on probation with suspension of execution of all or part of the sentence by the court
Acts of negligence
causing death or injury216Road traffic
violations
373 Stimulant drugs
3,392
Injury307Fraud
1,295
Robbery・causing death
or injury through
robbery336Theft
3,632
Other
1,644
Total
3,584
Breaking into
a Residence95
■しかくPersons on probation with suspension of
execution of the sentence
Stimulant drugs
1,606
Injury178Fraud107Forcible indecency・Forcible indecency
causing death of injury125Road traffic
violations96
Theft791Other586Number of Persons Newly Commencing Their Probation/Parole According to Offense Types (2020)
●くろまるFigure 1 shows the process of criminal offenses committed by
adults.
❶ Police
All cases in which the police arrest suspects and conduct nec-
essary investigations are, in principle, transferred to public pros-
ecutors.
❷ Public Prosecutors Office
Public prosecutors conduct necessary investigations on cases
transferred from the police and determine whether or not to
indict the accused based on the law and evidence.
At times, they themselves may detect criminal cases or con-
duct investigations on cases that have been charged or ac-
cused.
❸ Court
The courts hold hearings at public trials, and when they recog-
nize the accused as guilty, the courts hand down a sentence,
such as the death penalty, imprisonment, imprisonment without
work, or a fine. In the case of imprisonment or imprisonment
without work for three years or less, prison terms may be sus-
pended due to extenuating circumstances, and probation may
be given during the period of suspended sentence.
In the case of a relatively minor offense, the court may decide
to examine the case through summary proceedings as long as
the accused has no objection.
❹ Prison
After the accused is convicted, the punishment will be admin-
istered under the direction of public prosecutors. As a general
rule, punishment, including imprisonment, with or without prison
work, or detention is enforced at penal institutions such as pris-
ons. Penal institutions help inmates to reform and re-integrate
into the community through correctional treatment.
Those who are incapable of paying the full amount of a penal-
ty or fine will be detained in a workhouse attached to a penal
institution.
❺ Probation Office
Inmates may be released on parole in accordance with a deci-
sion by the regional parole board even before their sentence
ends, and such parolees are placed under probationary super-
vision while on parole. Those given a suspended sentence on the
condition of probation will be placed under probationary super-
vision during the suspension period as well.
These parolees receive instructions, supervision, guidance
and assistance from probation officers and volunteers probation
officers at probation offices for rehabilitation and a smooth re-
turn to society.
❻ Women’s Guidance Home
Adult females taken into custody for violating the Anti-Prosti-
tution Act are detained in women’s guidance homes and are
placed on probation when they are granted parole release.
Number of Newly Committed Inmates, by Offense (2020)
Homicide
Robbery(causing
deathorinjury)
Theft
Bodily
injury(causing
death)
Extortion
Fraud
Forcible
sexual
intercourse,
indecent
assault
(causing
deathorinjury)
Negligent
driving
causing
deathorinjury,
Professional
negligence
causing
deathorinjury
Others
Others
Stimulant
drugsRoadtraffic
violations
Firearmsandswords01,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
Penal Code offenses 10,446 Special law offenses 6,174
(persons)
Total 16,620155301
1,132 1,042706592605,913712117
1,559
4,3672975 Enforcement of Proper Criminal Policy35Imprisonment with or
without work, Penal detentionrt
Probationary
supervision
Suspension of execution
of sentence
Citizens, police, etc.
Institution of prosecution
after being referred from a family court
Child Guidance Center Public Prosecutors Office
Case referred to
a public prosecutor
for the institution
of prosecution
Acceptance Acceptance
Referral to
a family court Acceptance
Referral to
a family court
Discovery
Notification
Investigation
Police, etc.
Referral to a
public prosecutor
Juvenile
Offenders
Pre-delinquents
JuvenileChildren
Offenders
Discharge
Dismissal without hearing
Referral to a public prosecutor
for the institution of prosecution
Referral to
a child guidance center
and others Family Court
Not guilty, etc.
Suspension of execution
of sentence with
probationary supervision
Fine, minor fine
District Court,etc.Juvenile Prison,etc.Juvenile
Training School
Release on parole
Release on parole
Juvenile
Classification Home
Probation Office
Early discharge Expiration
of sentence
Acceptance
Notification
Referral
Commitment to
a self-support
facility for children
Commitment to a
juvenile training school
Release on expiry
of full prison sentence
Release on expiry
of sentence
Admission Admission
Revocation
Younger than 16
16 or older
Handling Juvenile Crimes and Delinquencies
■しかく Process for Juvenile Delinquents〈Figure 2〉
Correctional facilities nationwide are supported by community
volunteers, such as volunteer visitors and chaplains.
Volunteer visitors are those who help reformation and reha-
bilitation as well as smooth re-entry into society of inmates
through of counseling, guidance sessions, guidance for club
activities, and more.
Chaplains(private religious volunteers) provide religious guid-
ance upon request from inmates according to their religious
beliefs in order to ensure freedom of religion.
Community volunteers supporting correctional facilities
Volunteer visitors
Special provisions for those aged 18
and 19 (effective on April 1, 2021)
Those aged 18 and 19 are not subject to protec-
tive custody for pre-delinquents juvenile and cases
of those aged 18 and 19 are referred from police
to public prosecutors, and then to a family court.
A family court makes a decision, for those aged
18 and 19, among 6-months or 2-years probatioin-
ary supervision or commitment to a juvenile train-
ing school for no longer than 3 years, to the extent
appropriate, considering gravity of a crime com-
mitted.
When those aged 18 and 19 are accused of kill-
ing victims intentionally or a crime that deserves
death penalty, imprisonment or imprisonment
without work for life or no less than 1 year, the
cases are, in principle, sent to public prosecutors.365
EnforcementofProper
Criminal
Policy
Volunteer visitors
Total
7,225
Total
1,692
Extortion77■しかくParolees from juvenile training school
Road traffic
violations86Injury313Robbery・causing death
or injury through
robbery78
Fraud153■しかくJuveniles on probation
Theft517Others427●くろまるJuveniles on probation:Persons put under probation by the family court(excluding those under short-term probation for traffic offenses)
●くろまるParolees from juvenile training school: Persons permitted release on parole from the juvenile training school
Assault202Acts of negligence
causing death or
injury 425
Road traffic
violations
1,250
Injury829Fraud210Theft
2,030
Others
2,066 Forcible indecency・
Forcible indecency
causing death or injury41Forcible indecency・
Forcible indecency
causing death or injury213Number of Persons Newly Commencing Probation/Parole According to Types of Delinquency (2020)
●くろまるFigure 2 is a flowchart of proceedings for juvenile delinquents.
❶ Police
When juvenile suspects are arrested by the police, the cases are
in principle transferred to public prosecutors after investigations
are complete.
❷ Public Prosecutors Office
When public prosecutors suspect juveniles of committing
crimes, or have good reason to refer them to family court for
pre-delinquency (juvenile delinquents with behavioral problems
that stop short of crime yet may lead to crime and need to be
taken into custody), the relevant cases will be transferred to the
family court after investigations are complete.
❸ Family Court
A family court orders investigators to conduct investigations on
relevant juveniles, including their dispositions and family back-
grounds, and sends them to a juvenile classification home for as-
sessment.
❹ Juvenile Classification Home
A juvenile classification home conducts assessments of juve-
niles based on medical, psychological, pedagogical, sociological,
or other expertise, and submits the results to a family court.
❺ Family Court
When a family court decides that a juvenile has no reason to un-
dergo adjudication procedures, or that adjudication procedures are
not appropriate based on the result of the investigation of the dos-
sier, the court elects dismissal without hearing, and when the court
finds it reasonable to take adjudication procedures, it employs the
closed-door process.
When recognizing delinquency for certain serious incidents be-
comes necessary, the prosecutor will take part in judgement by
family court decision.
If placing the juvenile in protective custody is deemed unneces-
sary as a result of the adjudication process based on the above-men-
tioned investigations and assessment of ❸ and ❹, the court de-
clares the juvenile not to be charged. However, if placing the juvenile
in protective custody is deemed, the court decides whether to place
them on probation or in a juvenile training school.
❻❼ Sending Juveniles to Public Prosecutors and Indictment
When a family court finds it reasonable to impose criminal punish-
ment on those who have committed a crime that deserves the death
penalty, imprisonment or imprisonment without work, the court
sends the case to public prosecutors.
When juveniles aged sixteen or older are accused of killing victims
intentionally, the cases are, in principle, sent to public prosecutors
who must indict them once they have accepted the case.
❽Juvenile Training School
Juveniles given a family court judgment to be sent to a juvenile
training school are admitted to any of Type-I, Type-II, Type-III, Type-V
juvenile training schools, where receive correctional education and
rehabilitation support as they work toward reform. Juvenile sen-
tenced inmates younger than 16 are accomodated in Type-IV juve-
nile training schools if needed.
❾Probation Office
Juvenile delinquents who have been placed on probation by a fam-
ily court, or those who are provisionally permitted to be released
from a juvenile training school, receive instructions, supervision,
guidance and assistance from probation officers and volunteer pro-
bation officers for rehabilitation and smooth reintegration to society.
Number of Juveniles Newly Committed to Juvenile Training
Schools According to Delinquency (2020)02004006008001,00012942631072 9239108884315343
Penal Code offenses 1,297 Special law offenses 284 Pre-delinquency43
Total 1,624
(persons)
Robber(causing
deathorinjury)
Theft
Bodily
injury(causing
death)121Fraud
Extortion
Forcible
sexual
inter
course,
indecent
assault
(causing
deathorinjury)
Dangerous
driving
causing
deathorinjury,
Negligent
driving
causing
deathorinjury
Others
Others
Stimulant
drugs,
poisonous
agentsRoadtraffic
violations
Pre-delinquency375 Enforcement of Proper Criminal Policy
What is Offender Rehabilitation?
Exterior of an Offender Rehabilitation Facility
Designed by the late Sagenji Yoshida, Profes-
sor Emeritus at the Tokyo University of the Arts,
this badge consists of 18 chrysanthemum petals
with a sunflower and the rising sun, with the cir-
cle of its contour representing harmony among
people and the red cloth representing human
heart and passion.
Badge of Volunteer Probation Officers
This is a system carried out in cooperation with the nation and
volunteers designed to give instructions, supervision, guidance
and assistance to those who have committed crimes or those
who have turned to juvenile delinquency so that they can be-
come sound members of the society.
Regional Parole Boards
Regional parole boards are located in the eight regions across
the country that correspond to the jurisdictional areas of the
high courts. The major functions of the boards are to make de-
cisions on parole of inmates of prisons or juvenile training
schools, and revoking parole when parolees fail to observe the
parole conditions.
Probation Offices
There are 50 probation offices throughout the country located
in each of the district court jurisdiction. Their major function is
conducting probationary supervision over juveniles placed on
probation by family court decision, those released on parole
from prisons or juvenile training schools, and those on probation
with suspension of sentence. The probation offices also engage
in activities that promote community-based campaigns to pre-
vent crime and delinquency.
Probation Officers
Probation officers are full-time government officials of the
Ministry of Justice who are assigned to either the Secretariat of
the Regional Parole Board or to the Probation Office. With ex-
pert knowledge on psychology, pedagogy, welfare and sociolo-
gy, they work to rehabilitate those who have committed crimes
or have turned to juvenile delinquency, giving them guidance
and assistance in everyday life in collaboration with volunteer
probation officers. They also perform prevention of crime and
delinquency, and provide counsel and support for crime victims.
Volunteer probation officers are private citizens commissioned
by the Minister of Justice, and there are 46,000 of these officers
across the country. As they are familiar with the circumstances
and customs of their community, they are able to give effective
instructions, supervision, guidance and assistance to those who
have committed crimes or have turned to juvenile delinquency in
the community in collaboration with probation officers. In addi-
tion, they engage in crime prevention in their community to pro-
mote prevention of crime and delinquency, and provide counsel
and support for crime victims.
Volunteer probation officers have the status of part-time gov-
ernment officers, but do not receive compensation except for
the expenses involved in their activities.
Volunteer Probation Officers
Of all the persons who have been placed on parole/probation-
ary supervision or released from prison, offender rehabilitation
facilities accommodate those who have no proper place to live
and give them living guidance and vocational trainings so that
they will be able to live independently at the earliest possible
date. There are 103 such facilities in the country, mainly operat-
ed by juridical persons for the offender rehabilitation, which are
private foundations approved by the Minister of Justice to oper-
ate offender rehabilitation services.
Offender Rehabilitation Facilities
The Big Brothers and Sisters Association is a youth volunteer
organization that aims to support the healthy growth of juveniles
with various difficulties including delinquency by interacting with
them like a friendly older brother or sister. There are about
4,400 BBS members who conduct activities such as "Friendship
Activities", which supports the growth and independence of the
juveniles by befriending them, and carry out crime prevention to
create a crime-free society.
The Women’s Association for Rehabilitation Aid is an organiza-
tion composed of women volunteers working toward crime pre-
vention as well as rehabilitation for those who have committed
crimes or juvenile delinquents from a female perspective in order
to build a brighter society, free from crime and delinquency.
There are about 141,000 volunteer members across the country
engaged not only in crime and delinquency prevention education-
al activities, but also in a wide range of activities rooted in the
community, such as sound upbringing of youth, child-support,
rehabilitation support in offender rehabilitation facilities, coopera-
tion in volunteer work with offenders on probation, and visits to
prisons and juvenile training schools to encourage inmates.
BBS Association
Women's Association for Rehabilitation Aid
"Hogo-chan" & "Sara-chan"
"Rehabilitation penguins"385
EnforcementofProper
Criminal
Policy
Cooperating Employers are business owners who employ ex-
offenders and juvenile delinquents to help them become inde-
pendent and rehabilitated. These employers understand the
feelings of exoffenders and provide them with stable jobs, which
serves as a tremendous contribution to offender rehabilitation in
society. These employers understand the feelings of offenders
and provide them with stable jobs, which serves as a tremen-
dous contribution to offender rehabilitation in society.
There are about 25,000 such cooperative business owners
across the country.
The National Center for Offender Rehabilitation is established
and operated to provide parolees from penal institutions or ju-
venile training schools who cannot secure the necessary social
surroundings for smooth reintegration into society from rela-
tives or private-sector offender rehabilitation facilities with lodg-
ing at state-established facilities, where probation officers di-
rectly provide them with intensive supervision and generous
employment assistance, thereby encouraging their rehabilitation
and preventing them from committing further offenses.
Among these facilities, organizations that perform selective,
specialized treatment in society in accord with the relevant spe-
cific problem are called the National Center for Offender Reha-
bilitation, while other organizations that provide vocational train-
ing, primarily in agriculture, are called the National Center for
Offenders Job Training and Employment Support.
The National Centers for Offender Rehabilitation is established
and operated in Kitakyushu and Fukushima City, while the Na-
tional Centers for Offenders Job Training is established and op-
erated in Hokkaido (Numata-cho) and Ibaraki (Hitachinaka City).
Ensuring that those who have committed a crime can get
rehabilitation and become law-abiding members of society
is a task that cannot be achieved by government alone. The
efforts of offender rehabilitation volunteers, including Vol-
unteer Probation Officers, the Women’s Association for Re-
habilitation Aid, BBS, and Cooperative Employers have been
of great help.
If you are interested in participating in such activities,
please contact your nearest Probation Office.
Videos about offender rehabilitation volun-
teers are available on the Ministry of Justice’s
YouTube channel.
Become an Offender Rehabilitation Volunteer
The System for Partial Suspension of Sentence was enforced in June 2016 based on the Penal Code and the Act for Partial
Suspension of Sentence for Criminals Convicted of Drug Use and Others. The system enables judges to partially suspend sen-
tences for 1–5 years in rendering a sentence of imprisonment with or without labor for not more than 3 years, with the aim of
preventing re-offending and helping offenders to rehabilitate by securing adequate period of treatment in society, following a
period of treatment in prison.
Under this system, those who have no previous record of sentences heavier than imprisonment without work are put on dis-
cretional probation during the period of the suspended sentence, while those who have been imprisoned with work because of
drug use and other substance issues are put on mandatory probation.
System for Partial Suspension of Sentence
Cooperating Employers
National Centers for Offender Rehabilitation
Medical Treatment and Supervision Measures for Persons Who
Have Caused Serious Cases under the Condition of Insanity
The Medical Treatment and Supervision for Persons Who
Have Caused Serious Case under the Condition of Insanity is a
system which gives persons who have committed serious crimes
such as murder, or arson continuous and appropriate medical
treatment, conducts ovservations and guidance necessary to
prevent them from committing such crimes again, and promotes
them to reintegrate into society.
The Probation Offices have mental health social workers
known as Rehabilitation Coordinators who work in collaboration
with medical institutions designated by the Minister of Health,
Labor and Welfare and relevant local institutions to promote the
persons to reintegrate into society.
The National Center for Offender Rehabil-
itation in Fukuoka (Kitakyushu City)
The National Center for Offender Job
Training and Employment Support in
Hokkaido (Numata-cho, Uryu-gun)395 Enforcement of Proper Criminal Policy
Facilitating the activities of cooperating members of the private sector
Volunteer probation officers play an extremely important role
in the Japanese offender rehabilitation system by supporting re-
habilitation of offenders in the community and by engaging in
publicity campaigns and enlightenment activities to build a
brighter community without crime and delinquency. Meanwhile,
due to the changes in social circumstances, such as the weaken-
ing of interpersonal relationships in the community, it is becom-
ing more difficult to secure suitable persons as volunteer proba-
tion officers. Recently there was a downward trend in the
number of the volunteer probation officers (quota is 52,500).
Due to the trend, securing volunteer probation officers con-
stantly for the future is the most serious issue for the offender
rehabilitation in Japan.
Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Justice is working
on various strategies. For example, the Ministry of Justice sup-
ports the local volunteer probation officers associations across
the country to hold "Volunteer Probation Officer Candidate In-
formation Meetings" so as to secure appropriate candidates for
volunteer probation officers from local residents with various
points of view such as a wide range of age groups, including
youth, and occupations, and to conduct the "Internship for Vol-
unteer Probation Officer" for local residents to experience the
activities of volunteer probation officers. There are in all the local
volunteer probation officers associations "Offender Rehabilita-
tion Support Centers" nationwide, which serve as hubs for of-
fender rehabilitation by the volunteer probation officers, which
are planning further enhancement and improvement in the fu-
ture. In recent years, we have also been focusing on public re-
lations activities, such as holding seminars on volunteer proba-
tion officer activities for members of industry groups and
creating public relations videos on volunteer probation officers.
The volunteer probation officer organizations and the national
government are working together to secure volunteer probation
officers and support for the volunteer probation officers’ activi-
ties, so that Japan can develop a sustainable world-class volun-
teer probation system.
■しかく Securing volunteer Probation Officers
To strengthen the activity base of private sector members in-
volved in rehabilitation system,
"The Recidivism Prevention
Plan"(in December 2017) and "The Accelerated Recidivism Pre-
vention Plan"(in December 2019) declared that it would advance
the utilization of private funds, including crowd funding and a
kind of funds. It is because the most of activities carried out by
private sector members are with vulnerable economic bases.
In August 2020, The Japan Rehabilitation Aid Association start-
ed "The Recovery Support Funds". This funds collects donations
through internets and subsidizes recovery support community
activities. The Ministry of Justice promotes this
funds, and aims to create a safe and secure
community.
■しかく Advancing the utilization of private funds
Changes in the Number of Volunteer Probation Officers (2013-2021)
46,358
47,990 47,914 47,872
(persons)
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
47,939 47,909
2019 2020 2021
47,641
46,763
47,245
45000
46000
47000
48000
49000
Offender Rehabilitation Support Center
The figures are those at the time of January 1 each year
I want to contribute to the
community, but...
I support the
rehabilitation of
offenders!
I donʼt know how.
I donʼt have time.
Individual supporters
We want to
help support the
rehabilitation
of offenders.
We donʼt know where
we can provide support.
Corporate supporters
We sympathize with support for
offender rehabilitation, but...
Donationsof1,000yenormorecanbemade
easily
online.・・・Japan Rehabilitation
Aid Association・・・The subsidy covers the following costs
necessary for offender rehabilitation:・・・Organizations related to
offender rehabilitation
Donation
Subsidy
Donation
Donations as part of social contributionCSRDonations to designated public interest
corporations can be included in deduct-
ible expenses.
Calls for donations
Calls for subsidy
applications from
organizations
Selection of
organizations to be
subsidized
Costs of activities to create a place
to belong in the community
Costs of crime and delinquency
prevention and educational
activities
Other costs of grassroots activities
related to offender rehabilitation,etc.Note: Donations made by March 31, 2021
will be allocated to organizations related to
offender rehabilitation.
A beverage vending machine for the
Recovery Support Funds405
EnforcementofProper
Criminal
Policy
Improvement and Enhancement of Treatment in Correctional Facilities
The Ministry of Justice conducts appropriate treatment of in-
mates that respects their human rights based on the Act on Penal
Detention Facilities and Treatment of Inmates and Detainees en-
acted under a total revision of the Prison Law, and to achieve this,
the Ministry has striven to improve facilities and human resourc-
es, as well as to rationalize and mechanize clerical work.
In addition, model cases in foreign countries, the Ministry of
Justice manages some penal institutions through cooperation be-
tween the government and private sectors using the PFI (Private
Finance Initiative), which utilizes private capital, ingenuity, and ex-
pertise, and in doing so plans to enrich and develop correctional
treatment by incorporating programs never seen in conventional
prisons, such as the Training Program for Guide Dog Puppies for
the Blind in cooperation with the Japan Guide Dog Association
Foundation.
The Ministry of Justice is working to implement the Act on Pe-
nal Detention Facilities and Treatment of Inmates and Detainees
smoothly to prevent recidivism and will contribute to the creation
of a safe society where the people can live with peace of mind.
To prevent recidivism, juvenile classification homes are work-
ing to enhance their ability to assess juveniles by developing and
introducing a new assessment method, "Ministry of Justice Case
Assessment Tool (MJCA)" in order to grasp the risk of recidivism
and educational needs of each juvenile.
The homes are also working to enhance treatment for recidi-
vism prevention by conducting assessment of juveniles under
protective measures in response to requests from juvenile train-
ing schools and probation offices.
Furthermore, the homes provide counseling and consultation
services to juveniles and their families on problems related to
crime and delinquency (crime, delinquency, misbehavior, family
upbringing problems, troubles at work or school, interpersonal
problems, etc.). Moreover, staff at the home provide explana-
tions on various topics such as delinquency, crime, child-rearing,
or educational and instructional methods for youth at work-
shops or lectures held at schools or related organizations.
Those interested are welcome to contact a nearby juvenile
classification home.
■しかく 
Smooth Enforcement of Act on Penal Detention
Facilities and Treatment of Inmates and Detainees
■しかく 
Enhancement of Assessments of Juveniles and Community
Support Activities by Juvenile Classification HomesAQ
Featured Article!
Further Improvement of Juvenile Correction
Recently, I frequently hear about juvenile crimes on the news.
What kind of measures are being taken?
The Ministry of Justice has been strengthening efforts
toward preventing recidivism.
●くろまるStrengthening Correctional Education Based on
New Juvenile Training School Act
In June 2015, the New Juvenile Training School Act was
enacted. Under this act, the Juvenile Training Schools design
an individual correctional education plan for each juvenile in
accordance with his or her traits and implement programs
addressing individual problems such as drug use, sexual
delinquency, and family issues. The Juvenile Training Schools
also implement vocation guidance for such things as acquiring
qualifications for employment and social skills necessary for
retaining a job, thus conducting appropriate correctional
education aimed at preventing recidivism.
●くろまるLegal Provisions for Reintegration Support by
Juvenile Training Schools
In order to prevent recidivism, it is important not only to
provide diverse correctional education, but also to support the
smooth reintegration of delinquent juveniles. The New Juvenile
Training School Act stipulates that Juvenile Training Schools
are responsible for providing support for juveniles’ reintegra-
tion into society. Specifically, they proactively provide academ-
ic support such as helping re-entry or transfer to a local high
school, as well as support in finding work and assistance for
obtaining accommodations.
●くろまるPerforming Appropriate Classification under the
Juvenile Classification Home Act
A new Juvenile Classification Home Act has also been enacted.
This new law makes it possible for juveniles detained in Juvenile
Training Schools to spend a certain amount of time in Juvenile
Classification Homes specialized in determining the causes
behind the juvenile’s delinquency and drawing up individual
treatment plans that enable more detailed classification.
●くろまるAssisting Local Communities With Juvenile
Classification Homes
In order to contribute to the prevention
of delinquency and crimes in local commu-
nities, juvenile classification homes provide
local people and those involved in schools
and education with counseling based on
specialized knowledge and skills.41Justice Affairs Diplomacy6Promotion of "Justice Affairs Diplomacy" by the Ministry of Justice of
Japan and its future prospects
How is the Ministry of Justice involved with the international community?
The Ministry of Justice is pursuing "Justice Affairs
Diplomacy", an initiative which aims to promote
fundamental values to the international community,
such as the rule of law and respect for human rights, which
are the foundations for creating a society where all people can
live safely and happily.
The promotion of "Justice Affairs Diplomacy" not only
supports the development of legal infrastructure and
contributes to sustainable development, but also is important
in terms of enhancing Japan’s presence and values in the
international community. Furthermore, "Justice Affairs
Diplomacy" also contributes to the achievement of the
"Sustainable Development Goals" (SDGs), in particular its Goal
16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
In order to promote "Justice Affairs Diplomacy", the Ministry
of Justice has been engaged in:
a) Actively promoting legal technical assistance to developing
countries, mainly in the Asian region, such as assisting in the
development of legislation and legal systems as well as the
capacity building of staff who implement and operate the legal
system,
b) Development of international legal human resources and
strengthening coordination with international organizations
including through dispatching experts to the United Nations
and other organizations,
c) Actively promoting international arbitration, which is a
procedure used worldwide to resolve disputes in international
commerce through setting up a dedicated facility, development
of human resources in this field and public relations inside and
outside Japan.
The Ministry of Justice will continue to promote and
strengthen these initiatives. Furthermore, Japan will play a
leadership role in implementing the "Kyoto Declaration", the
outcome document of the 14th United Nations Congress on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (the Kyoto Congress)
– the largest UN meeting in the field of crime prevention
and criminal justice, held in March 2021 – as well as holding
the Japan-ASEAN Special Meeting of Justice Ministers in
2023, which will mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan
Friendship and Cooperation. Japan will accelerate various
initiatives to further strengthen multilateral partnerships and
advance "Justice Affairs Diplomacy" to the next stage.
* The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development (the 2030 Agenda) is a set of
international development goals being pursued
from 2016 to 2030, which was adopted at the
UN Sustainable Development Summit held in
September 2015. The Agenda lists the SDGs,
consisting of 17 goals in order to realize a
sustainable world. The SDGs pledge to ensure
"No one is left behind".AQ
For further information, please
refer to the Ministry of Justice
website and the promotion of the
SDGs (English website).
https://www.moj.go.jp/EN/kokusai/kokusai03_00007.html
Featured Article!
Implementation of the Kyoto Declaration adopted at the 14th
UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
The 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
(the Kyoto Congress) was held in Kyoto from March 7 to 12, 2021.
The UN Crime Congresses, held every five years, are the largest UN
conferences in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. At
the Kyoto Congress, participants discussed under the overall theme
of "Advancing Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and the Rule of Law:
Towards the Achievement of the 2030 Agenda", and the Kyoto
Declaration, which sets a five-year agenda for criminal justice policy
for the United Nations and Member States, was adopted.
For steady implementation of the Kyoto Declaration, the Ministry of
Justice has developed the following three initiatives: (1) the
establishment and regular holding of the Criminal Justice Forum for
Asia and the Pacific (Crim-AP), (2) regular holding of the Global Youth
Forum for a Culture of Lawfulness (Col-YF) and (3) taking the lead in
the formulation of New UN standards and norms on reducing
reoffending.
Opening ceremony of the Kyoto Congress426
Justice
Affairs
Diplomacy
The Ministry of Justice provides assistance to developing
countries with a view to establishing the rule of law to realize
secure and peaceful societies in these countries. Promoting and
enhancing good governance based on the rule of law through
international cooperation with developing countries contributes
not only to the sound development of these countries and
stability of the region, but to the strengthening of countermeasures
against transnational crime and the promotion of trade and other
forms of economic activity that benefit the recipient country, the
region and the world.
In the field of civil and commercial law, the Ministry of Justice
has provided legal technical assistance to more than 10 countries,
including Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and
Indonesia, mainly through activities of the International
Cooperation Department (ICD). These activities include drafting
and amending fundamental laws and regulations, strengthening
the functioning of judicial institutions, and capacity building of
legal professionals. Through such technical assistance, a number
of laws, including civil codes and civil procedure codes, have been
enacted, and relevant legal commentaries have also been
prepared in these countries. Moreover, a great number of
individuals in leadership positions at judicial institutions have
enhanced their capacities through our assistance.
The United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention
of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI), established in
1962 by the agreement between the United Nations and the
Government of Japan and operated by the Research and Training
Institute of the Ministry of Justice, has held training courses and
seminars in the field of crime prevention and treatment of
offenders for criminal justice practitioners (police officers, public
prosecutors, judges, correctional and probation officers, etc.)
from developing countries. Since 1962, more than 6,100
practitioners from 141 jurisdictions have participated in training
courses and seminars organized by UNAFEI (as of December
2021). UNAFEI marks its 60th anniversary in 2022. Many UNAFEI
alumni are playing leading roles in criminal justice. Some alumni
members have served as, among others, Minister of Justice,
Attorney General, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in their
respective countries. This personal and professional network is
the foundation for many valuable relationships between criminal
justice practitioners in Japan and other countries.
In addition, in the correctional architecture field, the Facilities
Division of the Minister’s Secretariat has been providing technical
assistance to the Kingdom of Thailand and other countries for
over 20 years. In order to disseminate the achievement of
assistance to other Asian countries, the Asian Conference of
Correctional Facilities, Architects and Planners (ACCFA) was
established for the first time in 2012, and a total of eight meetings
have been held so far, with the first and the 8th meeting being
held in Japan. In 2022, the 9th meeting will be held in the Kingdom
of Thailand, which has led ACCFA along with Japan.
Promotion of International Cooperation
International Training Course
The 1st Col-YF was held in Tokyo from 9-10 October 2021. About
120 youths from 41 countries participated in the forum and adopted
recommendations as an outcome and presented at the UN
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).
The 1st Crim-AP was held in Tokyo from 14-15 February 2022.
Experts in the field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice from 20
Group Sessions of the 1st Col-YF
Local Activity
countries and organizations participated in the forum, held
discussions and shared good practice.
In regard to the UN standards and norms on reducing reoffending,
Japan took the lead in initiating the process of formulating the new
standards.
https://www.moj.go.jp/housouken/
houso_kyouryoc_index.html
For further details, please check
the Ministry of Justice website.436 Justice Affairs Diplomacy
Strengthening efforts in the field of International Dispute
Resolution
Active engagement of officials of the Ministry of Justice in
foreign countries
In light of the rapid pace in which globalization is progressing, there is
a pressing need for the Japanese government to collectively take action
to lead discussions on the development of international economic
systems based on free and fair rules.
For its part, the Ministry of Justice is actively contributing to the
activities of international organizations, including the United Nations
Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), which aims to
achieve, inter alia, the harmonization of international trade law, with a
view to contributing to the formulation of international rules by sharing
experiences and essential aspects of Japan’s legal system. At the same
time, the Ministry is strengthening its cooperative relations with various
dispute resolution organizations that are engaged in the interpretation
and application of such rules.
In response to the growing interest of the international community in
the development of rules in the field of international trade law in recent
years, during July 2019 - December 2021, the Ministry of Justice, in
cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advocated, within the
United Nations, for the need to reform the composition of UNCITRAL
and has proposed to increase the membership from the current 60. As
the coordinator of the consultations to discuss the enlargement of the
membership of UNCITRAL, which lasted for a period of approximately
two years, the Ministry of Justice succeeded in putting together a
consensus draft resolution to increase the number of member countries
to 70, which was unanimously adopted at the UN General Assembly in
December 2021. Furthermore, in response to new concerns regarding
due process and fairness arising from the rapid trend towards
digitalization of dispute resolution, including international arbitration,
stressing the need to find solutions to address those concerns in the
framework of UNCITRAL, Japan proposed the launch of a project to
conduct research and analysis on the recent trends in dispute resolution.
This project was also unanimously approved at the UN General Assembly
in December 2021. Japan's repeated achievements in international
forums, including the United Nations, which are representative of its
commitment to seeking the interest of the entire international
community rather than its own, is expected to lead to further enhancing
its credibility in the international community.
The Ministry of Justice is committed, in close cooperation with other
relevant ministries and agencies, to actively contributing to the
development of fair and impartial rules in the field of international trade
and commerce.
The Ministry of Justice is working actively on the dispatch of officials
to overseas, with a view to addressing challenges such as contributing
to the promotion of the rule of law and other fundamental values in the
international community at large, developing international order based
on the rule of law, and effectively contributing to international legal
dispute resolution.
Over 90 officials are currently working abroad, mainly in Asia, North
America and Europe, as staff of overseas diplomatic establishments and
international organizations as well as long-term JICA experts who
provide legal technical assistance.
In addition, in order to expand the range of staff who are capable of
dealing with various international issues, the Ministry of Justice is
working on a number of ways of developing human resources with high
language ability, strong understanding of relevant international context,
and legal mind.
The Ministry of Justice will continue to develop human resources who
can work on a global scale in the field of legal and justice affairs and
dispatch officials abroad, taking into account factors such as the needs
of the international community and the contribution to the envisaged
sphere of activities.
International Arbitration in Japan
As economic and financial globalization progresses, the Ministry of
Justice is working on promoting international arbitration in Japan.
International arbitration is a procedure where the disputing parties
appoint third-party arbitrators and attempt to resolve the legal dispute
through their decision. International arbitration has many advantages,
for example:
-ease of enforcement of arbitration awards in foreign countries due
to the New York Convention, to which more than 160 countries are
parties,
-private and confidential resolution of disputes, including the
confidentiality of trade secrets,
-and the parties may appoint specialized and neutral arbitrators.
Due to such advantages, international arbitration is the global
standard for resolving disputes involving cross-border transactions and
investments. However, the number of cases of international arbitration
in Japan has been low. To further encourage international transactions
and overseas trade involving Japanese companies, to secure overseas
investment, and to stimulate the Japanese economy and financial
markets, the promotion of international arbitration as a form of "legal
infrastructure" is urgent.
In September 2017, the Japanese government set up the "Liaison
Conference of the Relevant Ministries and Agencies for Promoting
International Arbitration" chaired by the Assistant Chief Cabinet
Secretaries, and in April 2018, they published "Possible Measures for
Promoting International Arbitration". In response to this, the Ministry of
Justice has started a five-year project, since 2019, to promote
international arbitration in Japan, including the establishment of a
dedicated facility, promoting and raising awareness of companies etc.
Education and training programs have been provided for arbitrators
and arbitration practitioners in Japan and overseas. Subsequently the
Japan International Dispute Resolution Center Tokyo, which is a facility
dedicated to conducting arbitrations and which has cutting-edge
technology that enables smooth remote hearings and international
conferences related to arbitration, opened in Toranomon, Tokyo, in
March 2020.
The Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with relevant organizations, will
keep working passionately to enable Japan to become a regional hub for
international dispute resolution in Asia.447
UnifiedandAppropriate
ResolutionofDisputes
Involving
Japanese
Government
Unified and Appropriate Resolution of
Disputes Involving Japanese Government7 Lawsuits in which the Japanese Government is a party include
civil lawsuits for claiming damages against the state and
administrative lawsuits for seeking the cancellation or invalidation
of administrative action.
Among such lawsuits, the proportion of serious and large-scale
cases which may potentially have profound impact on the politics,
administration and economy of the state has increased, and
remained at a high level in recent years.
The Ministry of Justice, as essential components of justice
system, contributes to the achievement of appropriate resolution
of disputes based on law and evidence, by producing evidence and
constructing an argument from the state's viewpoint in a unified
and appropriate manner. This ensures the interests of the people
as a whole and those of individuals to be harmonized properly and
thereby the principle of "rule of law" is secured.
The Litigation Bureau operates a "Preventive Legal Support
System" where the Litigation Bureau, as legal advisors within the
Japanese Government, provide advice to enquiring administrative
bodies as to how to deal with the various legal problems that they
are engaged with. The Litigation Bureau’s advice is based on
expertise gained through the handling of past litigious matters.
The purpose of the "Preventive Legal Support System" is to
enable the Litigation Bureau to pre-assess the legitimacy of a
policy or a measure proposed by governmental administrative
bodies from a legal perspective in order to prevent, where
appropriate, the negative impact on Japanese citizen’s rights such
as their rights relating to life, body and property, and the advent
of legal disputes such as trials. Thus the "Preventive Legal Support
System" is a system implemented to support the efficient
realization of "the rule of law", and to protect the rights and
interests of Japanese citizens.
Litigation BureauAQ
PICK UP!
What kind of work does the Litigation Bureau do?
The Litigation Bureau represents the
Japanese Government in any dispute in
which Japan is a party, and performs a range of
litigation activities including filing complaints, claims
and proofs.
In addition, the Bureau provides legal advice
upon requests by government ministries and
agencies in order to prevent legal disputes,
and gives assistance in international litigation
related to the interests of the state.
Summaries of Major Pending Lawsuits
Additional information is posted on the Ministry of Justice website about lawsuits involving the Japanese Government as a party,
including summaries of major pending lawsuits and major court decisions.
This database enables you to search and browse precedents
contained in the Monthly Litigation Report
(the information magazine issued by the Litigation Bureau).
https://www.moj.go.jp/shoumu/
shoumukouhou/shoumu01_00024.html
Database of Important Litigation Precedents
https://www.shoumudatabase.moj.go.jp/
search/html/shoumu/general/
menu_general.html
List of Major Court Decisions
https://www.moj.go.jp/shoumu/
shoumukouhou/shoumu01_00023.html
Pursuit of Lawsuits Preventive Legal Support System
Providing Support in dealing with International Legal Dispute
The progress of globalization in the political, economic and other
realms will likely increase the chances of the Japanese Government
getting involved in legal disputes before foreign courts or legal
proceedings in international organizations. The Litigation Bureau,
with its skills and expertise on legal strategies gained through
domestic litigation practices, provides support in order to prevent
such disputes in advance or deal properly with those disputes in
close cooperation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other
relevant ministries and agencies.
(cf. page 47 Strengthening Efforts to Resolve International Legal
Dispute)
Change in Number of Major Large-Scale Lawsuits which are pending0500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
5,500
2017 2018 2019 2020
2015 2016
About 5,200
About 3,30045Qualifications and Employment
The national bar examination is designed to determine wheth-
er those who wish to become judges, public prosecutors, or at-
torneys have the necessary knowledge and practical abilities. In
2006, it was replaced by a new national bar examination more
organically linked with education provided at law school and le-
gal apprentice training.
The national bar examination can be taken by those who have
completed law school or passed the preliminary bar examina-
tion, but there is a time limit, and candidates can take the exam-
ination within a five-year period from the first day of April after
gaining qualifications.
The examination consists of a short-answer test (including
multiple-choice questions) and an essay test, and all candidates
take both tests at the same time.
The successful candidates will be qualified to enter the legal
profession as judges, prosecutors, and attorneys after training
A judicial scrivener represents a client in procedures such as
or deposition, and with authorization from the Minister of Jus-
tice, may also represent a client in summary court trial. A land
and house investigator performs investigations, surveying, and
application procedures needed for registration of real estate.
These are national examinations that determine whether can-
didates have the necessary knowledge and ability to enter into
The purpose of the preliminary bar examination is to judge
whether a person who intends to take the national bar examina-
tion has the knowledge, practical ability, and a basic grounding
in legal practices equal to those who have completed law school,
and consists of a short-answer test (including multiple-choice
questions), an essay test, and an oral test. There are no qualifi-
cation requirements for candidates.
▲さんかく
For further information, please contact the National Bar Examination Commission
Address: The Ministry of Justice, 1-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8977 Tel: 03-3580-4111
at the legal training center of the Supreme Court. (For details on
the training, please contact the Recruitment Division, Personnel
Affairs Bureau, Supreme Court.)
these professions, and are administered by the Minister of Jus-
tice. Both examinations consist of written and oral tests, and
those who pass the written test are entitled to take the oral test,
and passing this earns the candidate qualifications. The suc-
cessful candidates start work immediately after registration and
admission procedures.
●くろまるNational Bar Examination
●くろまるJudicial Scrivener Examination and Land and House Investigator Examination
●くろまるPreliminary Bar Examination
Qualification Examinations
■しかくResults of the National Bar Examination
CandidatesYearFigures in parentheses show the number of women from the total on the left.
Successful
candidates
Average age
of successful
candidates
Successful
percentage201720182019202020215,967
5,238
4,466
3,703
3,424
1,543(315)
1,525(375)
1,502(366)
1,450(367)
1,421(395)28.828.828.928.428.325.86%
29.11%
33.63%
39.16%
41.50%
■しかくResults of the Preliminary Bar Examination
Candidates
Year Successful candidates
Figures in parentheses show the number of women from the total on the left.2017201820192020202110,743
11,136
11,780
10,608
11,717
444(81)
433(81)
476(85)
442(75)
467(102)
■しかくResults of the National Examination for Land and House Investigators
Land and House Investigator
Examination candidates
Successful candidatesYear20172018201920202021
5,837
5,411
5,270
4,646
4,733400418406392404■しかくResults of the National Examination for Judicial Scriveners
Judicial Scrivener
Examination candidates
Successful candidatesYear2017201820192020202162962160159561318,831
17,668
16,811
14,431
14,98846QualificationsandEmployment
▲さんかくContact: Personnel Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry
of Justice
Those employed in the category of public administration, judi-
cial affairs, politics and international matters, law, economics,
engineering, and culture are generally assigned to various de-
partments of the Ministry and are involved in planning measures
and policies.
Those employed in the human sciences category are assigned
to local offices to make the most of their specialized knowledge.
▲さんかくContact: General Affairs Section, Facilities Division, Minister’s
Secretariat (architecture, electrical engineering and mechanical
engineering)
Local offices intending to employ officials (public administration)
Those employed in the public administration category, exclud-
ing in the Facilities Division of the Minister’s Secretariat (archi-
tecture, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering), are
generally assigned to local offices outside the Ministry.
The Ministry of Justice employs officials who have passed the Examination for Comprehensive Service, Examination for General
Service, Employment Examination for the Ministry of Justice Specialized Staff (Human Sciences), Prison Officer Employment Exami-
nation and Immigration Control Officer Employment Examination.
●くろまるExamination for Comprehensive Service ●くろまる
Examination for General Service
Employment Examination for Services
▲さんかくContact:
Each Regional Immigration Services Bureau’s General
Affairs Division(Personnel Division for Tokyo Regional Immigration Servic-
es Bureau)Each Immigration Center’s General
Affairs Division
Immigration control officers are as-
signed to regional immigration services
bureaus, district immigration services
offices, branch offices, or immigration
centers, and are responsible for de-
tecting illegal immigrants or over-stay-
ers, investigating violations, and treat-
ing and deporting detainees.
▲さんかくContact:
Personnel Section, Regional Correc-
tion Headquarters
Prison officers are, in principle, as-
signed to prisons, juvenile prisons, or
detention houses.
In prisons and juvenile prisons, the
officers provide various treatment pro-
grams for inmates to facilitate rehabili-
tation and smooth reintegration.
Detention houses mainly keep sus-
pects or defendants in custody, where
they are prevented from fleeing or at-
tempting to destroy evidence, and are given consideration to
ensure fair trial.
▲さんかくContact: Personnel Section, Regional Correction Headquarters
Correctional psychologists work at juvenile classification homes, penal institutions or juvenile training
schools as professional staff (MOJ technical official (psychology)) making use of their specialized knowl-
edge and skills to provide guidelines for treatment of detained juveniles based on analysis of the causes
of delinquency or criminal acts through interviews and psychological tests, and carry out treatment pro-
grams in penal institutions and juvenile training schools.
▲さんかくContact: Personnel Section, Regional Correction Headquarters
Ministry of Justice instructors work mainly at juvenile training
schools or juvenile classification homes, providing specialized
education (correctional education), including lifestyle guidance
and school course guidance, as well as observation of juveniles
to develop the juveniles’ individuality and abilities and ensure
their smooth return to society based on the instructors’ broad
perspective and expertise. MOJ instructors also provide employ-
ment support instruction and course instruction at prisons.
▲さんかくContact: General Affairs Divisions of Regional Parole Boards
Probation officers work at probation offices and regional pa-
role boards, providing criminals and juvenile delinquents with
instruction through interviews and specialized treatment pro-
grams as well as job assistance, based on expert knowledge
about psychology, pedagogy, welfare and sociology, and are re-
sponsible preventing recidivism and supporting rehabilitation
within society.
●くろまるImmigration Control Officers Employment Examination
●くろまるPrison Officer Employment Examination
●くろまるEmployment Examination for the Ministry of Justice Specialized Staff (Human Sciences)
Correctional Psychology Profession
Ministry of Justice Instructor Probation Officers47There will be changes
to the legal system!
The Ministry of Justice is
with Everyone’s Life
CHECK!・Marriage →
Civil Code/Family Registration (p.24)・Childbirth → Civil Code/
Family Registration (p.26)・Buying a house →
Registration System (p.26)・Storage of will (p.27)
(Wills made by holograph document)
Family・Property・Legal problems→
Japan Legal Support Center
(Houterasu)
(p.32)
Legal problems・Establishment of a company →
Commercial and Corporate Registration (p.25)・Employing foreign nationals →
Proper and Smooth Acceptance of
Foreign Nationals (p.17)
Company・Learning about Rulemaking,
Contracts and Dispute Resolution
→Enrichment and Development of
Law-Related Education
(p.22)・Children’s Rights SOS Mini-Letters
and Human Rights Hotline (p.29)・Ministry of Justice Juvenile Support Center (p.40)
Human Rights Counseling and
law-related education
●くろまるThe legal age of adulthood has been lowered to 18.
The legal age of adulthood has been lowered to 18 on April
1, 2022.
◉ By lowering the age of adulthood, those who
are 18 and 19 years of age have been able to
conclude various contracts without parental
consent.
◉ For instance, they can buy a mobile phone or
rent an apartment to live alone.
◉ Meanwhile, some age limits on drinking alcohol,
smoking, buying betting tickets for horse and
bike races have remained at the age of 20
Detailed information can be found here→
Human Rights Campaign
Characters
Jin-KEN-Mamoru-Kun
Jin-KEN-Ayumi-Chan
Human Rights Campaign
Characters
Jin-KEN-Mamoru-Kun
Jin-KEN-Ayumi-Chan48Everyone'sLifeA
PeacefulandSecure
Society
Detailed information
can be found here
Detailed information
can be found here
Connected
Saiban-in (Lay Judge)
System Mascot
"Saiban-inko"
Saiban-in (Lay Judge)
System Mascot
"Saiban-inko"・Overseas trip
→ Smooth and Strict
Immigration Screening (p.17)・Development of an Environment of Acceptance
of Foreign Nationals to Realize a Society of
Harmonious Coexistence (p.19)
Foreign nationals and
immigration procedures・Measures to Prevent
Recidivism (p.11)・Community volunteers
(volunteer probation officers,
cooperating employers, etc.) (p.37)・Treatment, etc. in correctional facilities (p.40)
Safety and security
Various events in our lives are
connected to the Ministry of
Justice!
"Rehabilitation Penguins"
"Hogo-chan"&"Sara-chan"
"Rehabilitation Penguins"
"Hogo-chan"&"Sara-chan"
Society being"Peaceful and
secure"is the"Basis"of
everyone’ s life!
Real Property Registration
Promotion Mascot
Toukitsune
●くろまるNew systems to eliminate unclaimed land will come
into effect sequentially from 2023.
◉ Facilitate access to the landowner
In order to identify the owner in the real
property register, it becomes compulsory to
apply for registration for inheritance or
change of address.
◉ Reinvigorate use of land
Basic rules for co-ownership and property
administration are reformed to improve use
of properties including unclaimed land.
◉ Release the burden of land ownership
A new system is established to enable
landowners to transfer the inherited land
to the National Treasury under certain
conditions.
●くろまるNew Rules of civil execution have been applicable since April 2020. This amendment to the Civil Enforcement Act is aimed primarily at improving
the effectiveness of investigations into the status of debtors' property.
◉ In order to forcibly collect money from the obligor in cases of winning civil lawsuits,
etc., the obligor’s assets need to be identified in compulsory execution proceedings.
◉ With the amendment of the Civil Execution Act, which
has come into force in April 2020, it has become easier to
identify the obligor’s assets.
・The procedures to summon the obligor to court and make him/her
disclose his/her own assets (the Assets Discovery Procedures) has
been strengthened (strengthening of the penalty, etc.).
・By using court procedures, information regarding the obligor’s assets
can be obtained from certain institutions, that is, (1) information of
his/her deposits and savings, etc., from financial institutions;(2)
information of his/her real estate, from registry offices; and (3)
information of his/her place of employment, from municipalities, etc.
(*) All the procedures, including (2), has become available since May 1, 2021.
ImprovementofLawsandRegulationsthataretheFoundationofCitizens’
Lives
(Amendmentstothe
CivilCodeand
CriminalCodetokeeppacewiththe
times)
(Recidivism
prevention
measures,
strictandsmooth
immigrationandresidency
control,
protectionofand
supportforcrime
victims,andchild
abuse
prevention
measures)
The Ministry of Justice Museum and the Message Gallery inside the red-brick
building of the Ministry consists of a room restored to its original appearance
(formerly the dining room of the Justice Minister’s official residence) which
retains the atmosphere of the Meiji era, and an adjacent room with brick walls,
and exhibits various historical documents and data on the modernization of
the judiciary and architectural modernization, as well as information on
promotion and publicity for the current justice system
The Museum exhibits materials concerning the activities of
the old Ministry of Justice, including basic legislation
requiring urgent enactment in the first half of the Meiji era,
such as the laws concerning the organization of the judiciary
and criminal laws, and records of the contributions of the foreign government
advisors, in addition to displaying historical records of sensational cases in the
Meiji era as well as those related to the administration of justice.
In the Ministry of Justice Museum
Dining room of the old Justice Minister's official residence
G. Boissonade, a French jurist,
and a draft of the old Japanese
Penal Code
MoreFamiliar
MakingtheMinistry
ofJustice
The red-brick building is the only building that still exists
among all the buildings constructed as part of the Central
Government Building Integration Project promoted by the
Meiji government, and exhibits materials concerning the
establishment of the building, which has now been designated as a cultural asset
symbolizing the modernization of Japanese architectural techniques, as well as
the project to remodel and restore it to its original appearance.
Visit
Ministry of Justice Museum
and the Message Gallery
Modernization
of the Judiciary
Architectural
Modernization49MakingtheMinistryofJustice
L o c a t i o n
A c c e s s
Open Days
Open Hours
Reservations
3F Ministry of Justice Red-Brick Building,
1-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
From Monday to Friday/Free admission
(Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays,
the year-end and New Year holidays)
From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(No admission after 5:30 p.m.)
Please make a reservation by phone or online
when arriving in a group of ten or more.
Reservations will be accepted three months in
advance.
Please refer to Access on back cover page.
Let’s Visit the Ministry of Justice!
Visit
Visiting the Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice provides tours on request from students and children to deepen their
understanding of the role and the duties of the Ministry. You can hear an explanation of the duties of the
Ministry, have your questions answered by officers, and take a look around the Ministry of Justice Museum
and the Message Gallery located inside the red-brick building.
Commemorative photo Red-Brick Building and Central Government Office No.6-A
■しかくPublic Relations Office, Ministry of Justice
(Secretarial Division, Minister’s Secretariat)
TEL:03-3580-4111
Contact information for tours and events of the Ministry of Justice
Please check
the latest information
on events on
the Ministry of Justice
website.
Ministry of
Justice
website
Let’s Visit the
Ministry of Justice!
"Kids Room"
Materials related to the Saiban-in (lay judge) system
and the Houterasu are also on display
We display materials about major public relations promoting deeper
understanding of the judicial system and the Ministry of Justice
among citizens, and currently exhibits materials relating to the
Saiban-in (Lay Judge) System and the Japan Legal Support Center
(Houterasu) .
Red brick and steel
Birth of the Red-Brick Building
and Architectural Techniques
German architects
Left : W. Böckmann
Right : H. Ende
ACTION!
■しかくMinistry of Justice Museum(3F)
Tel:03-3592-7911
E-mail:renga1@i.moj.go.jp
■しかくMinistry of Justice Website "The
Ministry of Justice Museum and the
Message Gallery" (Japanese-only)
https://www.moj.go.jp/
housei/tosho-tenji/housei06_00004.html5050
MakingtheMinistryofJustice51Constitution Week
(May 1‐7)
Every year, the week from May 1 to 7
around Constitution Day on May 3 is
designated as Constitution Week, with
events across the country designed to
s p r e a d k n o w l e d g e a n d p u b l i c
understanding about the spirit of the
Constitution, the functions of the justice
system and other related matters.
(Co‐hosted by the Ministry of Justice, the
Supreme Court and the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations)
Human Rights
Volunteers Day
(June 1)
Recidivism Prevention
Awareness Month (July)
Under Article 6 of the Recidivism
Prevention Promotion Act, July has been
designated Recidivism Prevention
Awareness Month, with public awareness
events held to deepen interest and
understanding of recidivism prevention
among the wider public.
"The Brighter Society Campaign"
Enhancement Month
"The Brighter Society Campaign" is a
nation‐wide campaign to help people
understand the importance of preventing
crime and delinquency and rehabilitating
offenders, combining the efforts of people in
their respective positions in the community to
build a brighter society that is free from crime
and delinquency. The highlight of this
campaign is variety of activities rooted in local
communities held in July each year across the
country that call for cooperation in and
understanding of the rehabilitation of
offenders.
Poster
"Human rights volunteers"
The Ministry of Justice holds events for elementary and junior high
school students during summer vacation, aiming to deepen their
understanding of its operations.
In FY 2021, because of the impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic, all
the events were held online. A special section was open in the official
Ministryʼs website to provide various content that included movies,
quizzes, and paper crafts.
Kasumigaseki Open Day for Children
(August 3 and 4)
The power of community action to prevent
crime and delinquency, assisting in the
rehabilitation of offenders
Special section of
the website
In commemoration of
the day of enactment of
t h e H u m a n R i g h t s
Volunteers Act (June 1,
1949), the 1st of June
was named Human Rights Volunteers Day.
Every year around this day, Human Rights
Volunteers carry out activities nationwide
by setting up ad‐hoc centers for human
rights counseling and conducting activities
for human rights awareness‐raising.
●くろまるConstitution Week
●くろまるIllegal Work
Prevention
Campaign
●くろまるHuman Rights
Volunteers Day
●くろまるRecidivism Prevention
Awareness Month
●くろまる"The Brighter Society Campaign"
Enhancement Month
●くろまるKasumigaseki Open Day
for Children
●くろまるNationwide Children's
Rights Hotline Promotion
Week
Main Weekly and Monthly Events
of the Ministry of Justice
2022.4
2023.3>E v e n t月4月5月6月7月8月9
The top page of the special section
Movies line up
Public Security Intelligence Agencyʼs
true or false questionsgf
MakingtheMinistryofJustice5152
Human Rights Week
(December 4‐10)
The United Nations, at its 5th
G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y o n
December 4, 1950, invited all
member states to observe
December 10 to celebrate the
proclamation of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights on
this day in 1948, and to exert increasing efforts in
the field of human rights. In Japan, the week ending
on December 10 each year was designated as
Human Rights Week in 1949, the year following the
adoption of the Declaration, and human rights
awareness‐raising activities have been carried out
throughout the country since then.
(Hosted by the Ministry of Justice and the National
Federation of Associations of Human Rights
Volunteers)
Japan Law Day Week (October 1‐7)
Japan Law Day Festa (First Sat. of October)
Japan Law Day originates from Judicial Memorial Day, created on October 1, 1928 to
commemorate enactment of the Jury Law on October 1 of the previous year, and on June 24,
1960, the Cabinet designated the 1st of October every year as Law Day, with the week from
October 1 to 7 as Japan Law Day Week. During this week, various programs such as lectures, free
legal counseling services and other related programs are organized all across the country to
promote respect for law, the protection of fundamental human rights, and the establishment of an
orderly society through the rule of law. Every year, on the first Saturday of October, Ministry of
Justice holds an open day named "Japan Law Day Festa", and holds various programs there, so
that citizens may be encouraged to understand the importance and the role of law.
The Japan Law Day Festa was canceled due to the impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic in FY
2021. However, a special section was open in the official Ministryʼs website to provide movies,
online live events, and other content.
●くろまるJapan Law Day (Japan Law Day Festa)
●くろまるNotarization Week
●くろまるHuman Rights Week
●くろまるThe North Korean Human Rights Abuses
Awareness Week
Every year, the week from October 1 through 7 is
designated as Notarization Week, with public awareness
activities through newspapers and TV, posters, leaflets,
lecture meetings, and consultation services held
extensively throughout the country to publicize the notary
system.
(Hosted by Japan National Notaries Association, Supported
by the Ministry of Justice)
Notarization Week(October 1‐7)
●くろまるNationwide Women's Rights
Hotline Promotion Week
Poster "Human Rights Week"
An event during
Human Rights Week
Central Event 71st Happy Society Campaign kickoff event
0DNLQJWKH0LQLVWU\RI-XVWLFH
0RUH)DPLOLDU月10月11月12月1月2月3
An event during
H Ri h W k
Live event Correctional
officers online
recruitment briefing
Movie Virtual site tour of
juvenile correctional institution
Special section of
the website Specthe wMMMoMMMMjjuuvjjjj
Live event Correctional
Poster Human Rights Weeko iicietty CCCam iipaign kikikick fk fkoffff eventtCenCCC ttral El El Even 7t 7t 711 t1st HHHappy SSSo
MakingtheMinistryofJustice52MINISTRY OF JUSTICE WORK GUIDE
Read together with The Ministry of Justice in our daily lives
and you’
ll learn more !
The Civil Affairs Bureau conducts work
involving registration, family registration,
nationality, deposit services, storage of will,
and notarization, as well as manages and
operates the Legal Affairs Bureau and the
District Legal Affairs Bureau, creates bills
on basic civil laws such as the Civil Code,
the Commercial Code and the Code of Civil
Procedure.
The Criminal Affairs Bureau plans and
drafts bills to inflict punishment on those
who commit crimes, asks for cooperation
from foreign countries and responds to
requests for cooperation from foreign
countries to investigate cases, as well as
providing assistance for the activities of
the Public Prosecutors Office.
The Correction Bureau is responsible for
giving guidance or supervision to correctional
institutions such as prisons or juvenile training
schools so that treatment (such as security,
prison work, classification, assessment,
education, medical treatment, hygiene, etc.) of
inmates is performed properly, and is also
responsible for conducting research and
studies on new treatment methods.
The Rehabilitation Bureau is responsible for
giving life guidance and livelihood support
in cooperation with private citizens to
offenders and juvenile delinquents so that
they are rehabilitated in local communities
and do not turn to delinquency again, and
is also responsible for conducting crime
prevention activities such as "Yellow
Feather Campaign" and work related to
parole from prisons or juvenile training
schools.
The Litigation Bureau conducts work as
attorneys for the national government, filing
motions with the court, making claims or
submitting evidence on behalf of the
national government in lawsuits where the
government is the plaintiff or the
defendant.
The Judicial System Department conducts
a wide range of work related to the judicial
system, including the structure of the
court, measures to make the court more
accessible to the general public, how to
settle disputes by means other than a trial,
the lawyer system, and training of legal
professionals. The Department also
promotes efforts to enrich and develop
Law-Related Education so that all citizens
can gain a good understanding of the
importance of laws and judicial process.
The Research and Training Institute of the
Ministry of Justice is responsible for
compiling the outcomes of the studies and
research on crimes in the White Paper on
Crime as well as providing training for the
officials of the Ministry of Justice. Also, the
Institute helps create laws for countries
where laws are not yet well established, as
well as providing international training for
the prevention of crimes in cooperation
with the United Nations.
The Public Prosecutors Office investigates
crimes in cooperation with the police and
decides whether or not to bring indictments
against criminals to the court, and when
decided, asks for proper punishment against
criminals by the court.
The Immigration Services Agency is responsible
for work involved in examinations when
Japanese nationals or foreign nationals enter or
depart from Japan, procedures for foreign
nationals staying in Japan and the deportation of
illegally staying foreign nationals, and takes the
measures necessary for coexistence with foreign
nationals by cooperating with relevant ministries
and agencies. The Agency is also responsible for
proceedings for refugee recognition when a
foreign national seeks asylum in Japan for fear
of persecution in the country of origin.
The Public Security Examination
Commission is responsible for fair
investigations and neutral decisions upon
request from the Director-General of the
Public Security Intelligence Agency for
control measures against subversive
organizations that pose threats to the
safety of the country and the citizens
through violence.
The Public Security Intelligence Agency works to
protect the security of the country and the
citizens from organizations that assert
themselves with violence, such as terrorist
organizations. For example, the Agency is
undertaking an investigation into the successor
organization of Aum Shinrikyo, which committed
indiscriminate mass murder in the past, so that
similar incidents will never happen again.
The Human Rights Bureau handles various
human rights problems regarding
discrimination, abuse, bullying, and violation
of privacy, and conducts activities such as
human rights counseling, and investigation
and remedy procedures for human rights
violation cases, as well as human rights
awareness-raising in cooperation with
Human Rights Volunteers, who are private
citizens. The Ministry of Justice
is doing various work.
1 Civil Affairs
Bureau 2 Criminal Affairs
Bureau 3 Correction
Bureau
Rehabilitation
Bureau
4 5 Human Rights
Bureau 6 Litigation
Bureau7Judicial System
Department 8
ResearchandTrainingInstitute
oftheMinistryofJustice 9 Public Prosecutors
Office
Immigration
Services Agency
Public Security
Examination Commission
Public Security
Intelligence Agency
The Kids Room character
"Dr.Brick"53This page is designed to give elementary and junior high school
children an easy-to-understand introduction to the Ministry of
Justice. When read together with the"Kids Room"page on the
Ministry of Justice website, it provides an even deeper
understanding of the Ministry.
Laws can make us happier.
Laws are rules that help us all live
together through cooperation and
respect each other’s individuality.
By protecting our rights and showing
clearly what rules we have to comply,
laws make us possible to live and act
freely and enjoy a more fulfilling life.
The Ministry of Justice takes measures to make our
society safer and brighter.
For example, the Ministry makes the basic rules that
help people live with a feeling of safety. When someone
commits a crime, the Ministry educates him/her in
prisons or in juvenile training schools, or supports them
to live in the community, so that they can live a better
life without committing another crime.
In addition, the Ministry takes various measures to
make society a comfortable place to live in, such as
investigating human violation cases such as bullying, so
that it will not re-occur, or conducting immigration
examinations for both Japanese and foreign nationals
when they enter and depart Japan.
What are laws for? What is the role of the Ministry of Justice? "Kids Room"is a website that introduces the
Ministry of Justice to elementary and junior high
school students. The"What is the role of the
Ministry of Justice?"and the"Ministry of Justice in
Photographs"sections use illustrations and
photographs to help explain the jobs of each
department and agency of the Ministry. Once you
get a better understanding of the Ministry, try
taking the"Ministry of Justice Quiz"
! There is also a
children’
s human rights desk that provides
counseling on bullying and other issues. https://www.moj.go.jp/KIDS/index.html
There are unique mascots that reflect
the characters of the administrative
agency of the Ministry of Justice around
the country, such as the Legal Affairs
Bureau, the Public Prosecutors Office,
and the Probation Office, and regional
characteristics where they are located.
Let us introduce some of the new
members who joined the ministry.
Friends of
the Ministry of
Justice
Official mascot of the Facilities
Division, Minister's Secretariat,
Ministry of Justice,
Shisetsukame
Property registration promotion
mascot, Toukitsune
Online immigration procedure
PR mascot, Rasuppi
What is"Kids Room"?
moj Kidsroom
The Kids Room
character"Akarenga-kun"
Get information
in an easy-to-
understand
quiz format.
MakingtheMinistryofJusticeMoreFamiliar
Immigration Screening
Activities to protect human rights Recidivism Preventi
Law-Related Educati
The Min
in our s
The Ministry of Justice in our lives
The Immigration Services Agency examines Japanese
and foreign nationals whether they have any problems
or not when they enter or depart from Japan.
【Work
Guide 10】
The staff of the Ministry of
creates videos to help you u
important.【Work Guide 7】
Engages in activities to make people aware of the
importance of human rights and provides consultation
on discrimination, abuse, and bullying.【Work Guide 5】
Provides education at prisons or ju
support in society to offenders an
they are rehabilitated in local comm
delinquency again. The Yellow Feath
a happy and bright society free fr
ion Services to protect rights and property
ion Case investigation and trial
nistry of Justice plays a variety of different roles
society so that everyone can live safe.
f Justice gives lessons,
understand why laws are】Public prosecutors investigate cases and decide wheth-
er or not to charge the criminals (bring the criminals
to court). They also attend the trial to prove that the
criminal committed the offense.【Work Guide 2】
uvenile training schools or
nd juvenile delinquents so that
munities and do not turn to
ther of Happiness is a symbol for
rom crime.【Work Guide 34】
In order to protect our rights and property, the Ministry of
Justice provides services relevant to the registration system to
understand lands, buildings, and companies. It also provides
different services regarding rules in the surrounding living
environment, such as contracts and family.【Work Guide 1】
Central Gov't Bldg. No.6
この印刷物は、
印刷用の紙へ
リサイクルできます。
リサイ
クル適性 A
History of the Ministry of
Justice Building
Central Government Office Complex No. 6-A, which houses
the Ministry of Justice, consists of 21 floors and 4 basement
floors. The building is functionally divided into two zones: the
Ministry of Justice zone on the north side and the Public Prose-
cutor Offices zone on the south side. The outer wall of the
building is covered with dignified red granite from Canada that
harmonizes well with the red-brick walls.
The building was completed on June 30, 1990 as the new
Ministry of Justice building. During its construction, the preser-
vation and restoration of the old Ministry of Justice building
(the present red-brick building of the Central Government
Office Complex No. 6) was discussed, leading to the conclusion
that the building should be preserved and utilized. As the only
remaining historical building among the Central Government
Building Integration Project drawn up in the Meiji era, the
retention of the building is essential for the setting of the
Kasumigaseki district. The exterior was restored to its original
state.
The original red-brick building, designed by the two German
architects W. Bockmann and H. Ende, was completed in
December of 1895 (the 28th year of Meiji) after about seven
years of construction to serve as the Ministry of Justice
building. The roofs and floors of the building were destroyed
by fire in March 1945 during World War II, but the red-brick
walls remained intact. When the structure was renovated
through the restoration work conducted from 1948 to 1950,
some alterations were made in the materials and the shape of
the roof. The present red-brick building has, however, been
restored completely to it original appearance in 1895, and its
exterior was designated as a national important cultural
property on December 27, 1994.
ACCESS TO THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
■しかくJR
■しかくMetro
Yamanote Line
Keihin Tohoku Line
10-minute walk from JR Yurakucho Station
Yurakucho Line
1-minute walk from Sakuradamon Station
Marunouchi Line
Hibiya Line
3-minute walk from Kasumigaseki Station
Chiyoda Line
5-minute walk from Kasumigaseki Station
Toei Mita Line
6-minute walk from Hibiya Station▶▶▶▶▶▶▶Ministry of
Agriculture,
Foresty &
Fisheries
Ministy of Health,
Labour & Welfare
UchiboriStr.5A1SakuradamonSta.
Red-Brick
Building
Tokyo High Court
Mninistry of Internal
Affairs &
Communications
Metropolitan
Police Department
Public
Prosecutors
OfficeA10Hibiya Sta.
Hibiya Park
Hibiya Str.
Iwaida Str.
Kasumigaseki Sta.
KasumigasekiSta.KasumigasekiSta.Sakurada Str.
Ministry of
Justice
1-1-1 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8977
Tel. 03-3580-4111 Fax. 03-3592-7393
Published in 2022 by the Public Relations Office,
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE Website : https://www.moj.go.jp/EN/index.html
Twitter @MOJ_HOUMU
YouTube MOJ Channel