Examining Carlos Ghosn and Japan’s System of ‘Hostage Justice’

The ousted Nissan Motor Co. chairman, who had already spent 108 days at the Tokyo Detention House before being released on bail for ¥1 billion, was rearrested on April 4 and will now be jailed until at least April 22 as prosecutors seek to charge the once-proud auto mogul for aggravated breach of trust, in addition to other charges of underreporting his salary. Here’s what Japan should implement to bring its justice system closer to the norm seen in democratic nations:

First, every suspect should have the right to consult a lawyer as soon as the case is in the hands of prosecutors, and questioning should be prohibited in the absence of an attorney. The crimes eligible for plea bargaining include specific white-collar crimes such as fraud and bribery, as well as antitrust and tax-related crimes, and a deal can be reached to drop or reduce a suspect’s criminal charges — in some cases, a suspended sentence can be secured or charges can be dropped entirely.

Source: www.japantimes.co.jp