Historical Significance and Basic Structure of Criminal Retrial System

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03359
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Criminal law
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAKURA SHINKI 山形大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (50301867)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 再審 / 利益再審 / 不利益再審

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The 1880 Code of Criminal Procedure and the 1890 Code of Criminal Procedure both permitted retrials only in the case of the retrial system to the advantage of ex-defendants while imposing strict conditions on the reopening of the proceedings. The 1922 Code of Criminal Procedure prescribed looser conditions on the reopening of the proceedings, while also introducing the retrial system to the advantage of prosecutors. The 1948 Code of Criminal Procedure abolished the retrial system to the advantage of prosecutors in consideration of the double jeopardy clause in the Constitution of Japan and prescribed loose conditions on the reopening of the proceedings. However the retrial system to the advantage of prosecutors of the 1922 Code of Criminal Procedure still exerted powerful influence on retrials of the 1948 Code of Criminal Procedure and even today it is still difficult to reopen the proceedings to the advantage of ex-defendants.

Free Research Field

刑事訴訟法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、現行憲法39条を踏まえた利益再審の訴訟構造（いわば横の関係）からだけでなく、治罪法にまでさかのぼった比較法制研究（いわば縦の関係）を行うことによって、現行刑事訴訟法における再審制度の歴史的意義と基本構造を解明した。本研究は、今後の現行刑事訴訟法の再審制度の解釈・運用に指針を与える意義がある。さらには、フランス法の利益再審の研究とドイツ法の不利益再審の研究とアメリカ法の二重の危険の法理の研究を発展させる契機となる。