Friday, January 05, 2007

It's just a movie

but this one sounds interesting. It's an exploration of Japan's legal system in which over 90% of people arrested are convicted. (I believe the actual figure is close to 99%) . You are basically guilty and must prove yourself innocent.

A review is at The Japan Times. From the writer:

One lesson that I have learned from these experiences and observations is that the Japanese are a law-abiding people for a very good reason -- once the system here has you in its grips you are well and truly in the meat grinder. True, safeguards exist for the accused, who are entitled to a defense lawyer, but the legal scales are tipped in favor of the police and prosecution, who want to save face by convicting as many "criminals" as possible -- and nearly always succeed.

I'll bet this movie will tell a lot more about Japan than such idiotic nonsense as The Last Samurai.

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