The research on the beginning of execution as an element of criminal attempt

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12660
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05050:Criminal law-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: TOJO Akinori 神戸大学, 法学研究科, 准教授 (40734744)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 実行の着手

Outline of Final Research Achievements

At the time when I started this study, the following understanding was prevailing. Criminal attempt punishes causing danger of an offence being accomplished. Therefore, criminal attempt is punishable at the time when the danger was caused, but not if it was impossible to cause the danger. The thoeries of beginning of execution deal with the former, while the theories of impossibility deal with the latter, and the two are practically identical.
This study questioned the above mentioned common view on the interrelationship between two theories, and clarified through theoretical consideration based on historical research that (1) the two theories are fundamentally different. Further, this study proposed the understanding that (2) the beginning of execution is not a question of danger, but a question of norm violation. (3) Based on this understanding, this study examined the criteria for judging the beginning of execution.

Free Research Field

刑法学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は実行の着手論における通説、すなわち、既遂結果発生の危険性が生じた時点が未遂犯の成立時点であるとの理解に、実は十分な理論的根拠がないことを明らかにした。加えて、裁判例の分析を通じ、通説は実務を十分に説明できないことも明らかにした。以上から通説には見直しが不可欠であることを指摘し、未遂犯の成立時点に関するあるべき考え方を新たに提示した。以上が主たる学術的成果である。そして、提示した考え方それ自体に加え、結論に至る過程で行った裁判例の分析も、今後裁判官が未遂犯の成否を判断する際に参考となる内容であると考えている。このような裁判実務にも有益な分析を提示し得たことが、本研究の社会的意義である。