The House of Representatives Committee on Judicial Affairs voted Friday to approve a bill reforming Japan's retrial system [1].

This legislative move marks the first major overhaul of the retrial process since the Code of Criminal Procedure was originally established in 1948 [4]. The reforms aim to enhance the transparency of evidence management and provide more effective relief for those suffering from wrongful convictions.

The approved version of the bill includes a modified proposal from the ruling coalition. These amendments include supplementary provisions that mandate a review of the system every five years [2]. Additionally, the updated text explicitly prohibits the use of evidence for purposes other than those for which it was originally submitted [3].

House Committee Chairman Hidetaka Inoue said he determined it was the appropriate time to hold the vote [1]. The bill received support from the ruling party and the Sanseito party [1].

Prime Minister Takaichi said the government's position remains unchanged in its goal to see the bill pass during the current Diet session.

Following the committee's approval on June 12 [5], the legislation is expected to pass through the full House of Representatives by June 16 [2, 6]. This timeline puts the bill on a clear path toward becoming law before the current session concludes.

“This legislative move marks the first major overhaul of the retrial process since 1948.”

By introducing mandatory five-year reviews and stricter rules on evidence usage, Japan is attempting to address long-standing criticisms regarding the difficulty of securing retrials. The shift toward greater transparency in evidence management suggests a legislative effort to align the Japanese judiciary more closely with international human rights standards regarding the prevention of wrongful imprisonment.