Investigation of Corruption in Japan (From Resource Material Series No. 56, P 469-475, 2000, Hiroshi Iitsuka and Rebecca Findlay-Debeck, eds. -- See NCJ-191475)

• NCJ Number: 191510
• Author(s): Tamotsu Hasegawa
• Date Published: December 2000
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: Japan
• Note: A paper from the 113th UNAFEI International Training Course, "The Effective Administration of Criminal Justice for the Prevention of Corrupt Activities by Public Officials," August 30-November 18, 1999.

Annotation

This paper describes how suspected corrupt behavior by a public official is investigated in Japan, with attention to the offense of bribery.

Abstract

Japan's prosecutor's offices handle and process bribery offenses committed by government officials. In principle, public prosecutors conduct supplementary investigations of criminal cases referred to them by police officers before determining whether to institute prosecution. In bribery cases, police officers conduct the criminal investigation if they themselves expose the leads. Cooperative relations are maintained between public prosecutor's offices and police stations. In addition to cases referred to them by the police, public prosecutors identify particular cases and conduct their own criminal investigations. The public prosecutor's office has a special investigative department that is responsible for investigations into bribery and economic crimes committed by government officials. This paper explains the detection of a bribe in progress, investigative techniques used by the Special Investigation Department, challenges in bribery investigations, and the preparation of cases for court.