Overview
- The joint party meeting, which began Friday, ran for two and a half hours with shouting and ended without a decision over whether prosecutors may appeal orders that start retrials.
- The Justice Ministry kept its position to preserve prosecutors’ ability to appeal retrial-start decisions, drawing strong objections from many LDP lawmakers who want the practice banned.
- Opponents said appeals by prosecutors stretch retrial proceedings for years, which can blur memories and degrade evidence for people trying to clear their names.
- Supporters of allowing appeals countered that higher courts have overturned some retrial-start orders after prosecutors challenged them.
- The Hakamada Iwao case showed the stakes, as a 2014 district court order for retrial took nine years to stand after a prosecution appeal and multiple higher-court rulings.