Justice Minister Keiko Chiba

JAPAN: PRESCRIPTION FOR MURDER TO BE ABOLISHED

January 28, 2010: a subcommittee of the Legislative Council proposed abolishment of the statute of limitations for crimes whose maximum penalty is the death sentence, while doubling it for other crimes for which prison sentences, including a life term, are expected.
The proposals are included in its draft revision for the criminal procedure code and will be submitted to the ongoing Diet session after being reported to Justice Minister Keiko Chiba.
According to the proposals, the statute of limitations for crimes worth the death penalty, such as murder, will be abolished. It stands at 25 years at present. That for crimes to be given a life sentence at the severest, such as rape resulting in death, will be extended to 30 years from 15 years.
The proposed extension will be applied to crimes whose prescriptions are running, if the revision bill is passed.
Periods of limitations have been extended drastically since the revision of the Code of Criminal Procedure in 2005, but calls have grown among crime victims and their families for the statute of limitations on serious crimes to be abolished.
Chiba asked the council to examine how to review the statute of limitations system last October. (Sources: Kyodo News, 28/01/2010)