Interrogation Video to Be Played in Court over Damages Claim

Tokyo, July 2 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court decided Thursday to play video clips of interrogations by a public prosecutor in the courtroom as part of an 11-million-yen damages lawsuit against the state.

The lawsuit was filed by the head of a Tokyo-based solar power company who claims that he was subjected to illegal interrogations after being arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigation squad.

The 52-year-old company head, Naoyuki Ikuta, has been charged with fraud and sentenced to 11 years in prison. He has appealed the sentence.

In the damages suit, the state side submitted all interrogation recordings to the district court. The plaintiff requested that 61 scenes, totaling about one hour and 15 minutes, be played in the courtroom.

Speaking to reporters after Thursday’s court hearing, Ikuta’s attorney, Hiroshi Kawatsu, explained that the purpose of the request is to prevent illegal interrogations in the future by informing the public of inappropriate interrogation practices.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]