Unjustifiable delay
The Japanese criminal court system is notorious for taking its time to crank out decisions, but this is really ridiculous.
In 1999, Yuji Nishizawa hijacked an All Nippon Airways jumbo jet on a domestic flight and stabbed the pilot to death with a kitchen knife. He then took the controls of the jet for about six minutes, terrifying its 503 passengers and 14 crew members by taking the plane down as low as 300 meters.
Nishizawa was eventually overpowered by other crew members and taken into custody after the jet landed.
So far so good. But perhaps you will be surprised to know that the Tokyo District Court just got around to sentencing Nishizawa, to life imprisonment, on Wednesday.
Granted, there were questions about Nishizawa’s mental state when he committed his crime and of the effect of anti-depressant being taken by Nishizawa at the time, but does deciding such issues really require six years?
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
Then there’s Canada, where those allegedly involved in the bombing that killed 200 some odd passengers on an Air India flight in the eighties get *acquitals* in 2005! (Well, one did serve a minor sentence after a trial in 2004, but he’s out now.)
March 24th, 2005 at 9:29 pmI have a better example of Japanese justice… how about the fact that the subway gas attach guy’s trial is STILL going on.
I believe Japan announced reforms to speed up trials – namely the introduction of a quasi-jury system. 5 or 6 citizens will sit on a panel with judges and vote with them on the verdict and punishment. The idea is highly unpopular.
March 24th, 2005 at 10:21 pmIt’s all the Lefties to be blamed.
March 25th, 2005 at 10:15 pmHuman right s maffia.
Yep, lefties extremists in japan are notoriously backwardish. Their opposition in the 70s responsible for Narita airport located so far away.
March 26th, 2005 at 10:08 am