We inform you that the “End Hostage Justice!” Lawsuit was filed with the Tokyo District Court on March 24, 2025. This lawsuit is supported by lawyers, researchers, and campaigners of LEDGE.

Under Japan’s “hostage justice” system, authorities routinely impose prolonged detention—one of the most extreme forms of rights deprivation—on individuals simply for asserting their innocence or exercising their right to remain silent. This practice inflicts severe physical and psychological harm, destroying lives, careers, and families. This system persists due to provisions of Japan’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which allow authorities to justify indefinite detention on vague, speculative grounds, such as potential evidence tampering.

This lawsuit, brought by four plaintiffs, directly challenges the constitutionality of these provisions, seeking to bring an end to the hostage justice system once and for all.