The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-06-21
JAPANESE COURTS
SIMPLE and QUIET
No Wrangling Of Counsel Allowed
and Sentences Generally
Are Fair.
CASES TRIED WITHOUT Jury
Many Unusual Points of Difference
Between American Tribunals and
Their counterparts in Japan
Minor Cases to Police.

Tokyo.-A Japanese criminal court
is almost as difficult to get into as a
spectator as il Is difficult to get out of /
as q prisoner but there are enough I'M
usual points of difference between
American tribunals and their counter
parts In Japan to make at least one
visit instructive, IL not profitable
Criminal trials in japan are public,
but not blatnntly so. and idle curl I
osity Is not encouraged. To be per
mltted TO even enter the grounds sur
rounding the court buildings one must
secure the formal permission Of the
stern police official at the gate, and
that permission isonly secured through /
the preseDtation of some good reason
why the solicitor should be permitted
to pass.
Once past the guardian Of the gate,
however, one may proceed into the
courtroom itself without trouble, pro.
vldcd always that he removes his hei
Immediately he enters the building, re.
moves his oyercoat, II he happens to
be wearing one, walks quietly and
holds his remarks and questions down
TO faint whisper. In the main court
house in Tokyo. which houses the SUI.
preme court and the various local
courts, corresponding TO the American
circuit courts. the corridors are lined
during the session by be-sworded gen.
darmes between the rows OF which the
ore with business before the judges
warily walks. No chance Is lost to
impress upon everyone the fact that
the dignity Of the law in japan Is
something which must not be trifed
with.
Minor Cases to Police.
Ordinary police court cases in Japar
are disposed OF in the police stations
themselves and the police inspectors
In charge have the power TO exercise
q wide discretion. Ordinary DRINKS
of whom there are very few consider
Ing that almost every corner grocery
store and every tea house and restau-
rant sells intoxicants. and there art
sakl shops every hundred yards on al
most every street. are simply kept
long enough to sober up and are dis
charged With a stern warning. r.
Domestic squabbIes are settled b
the policemen on the beats.
( Once, he has been sent TO headquar
tiers a prisoners troubles commence
AS n preliminary TO all else he is pho
tograrhed and finger printed, de
clded reversal ri the American piin
ciple, which bars man from The
rogues' gallery until he has been con
Vcted Of a felony. From the photo
graph room and the Ink pad the prls'
oner passes on for MS examination,
n legalized third degree, held In an IN
derground room where, without benc
fit of counsel, he is sweated, perhaps
for several days in succession.
Then after waiting his turn the prs
Oner goes to the local court, where ht
faces a bench OF usually four judges
one Of whom IS head judge and who
does all the questioning Of the wit
nesses. On the bench also sits the
prosecuting lawyer with the lawyer
fB the defcns~ occupying desk and
seat Immediately facing the head
JUDI
Everything IS solemn. everything Is
decorous and. without a jury to i'm
press, there are none OF those flights
of oratory with which the American
lawyers call upon heaven to witness
either the scandalous nature Of the
prisoners crime or the halo of limo
cence SO plain to the attorney for the
defense The prisoners sit In a pris
onefs' box until their case is called
when they stand one by one before the
judges and are polished Off in rapid
succession. Witnesses are not sworn
nor are there any bcvildering laws OF
evidence that furnish legal arguments
grounds for appeal>and keep any one
iTuin ttilnb Nil tiut Ht hhoNS diiN
suspects. The criminal code is that a
Napoleon and the procedure is prac
ticlly that OF the French courts.
Handling Of Prisoners.
The handling Of the prisoners is pure
japanese, however Delivered at In,
courthouse for trial, the prisoners are
marched from the police wagon IN
single file handcuffed and tied togeth
or by a stout rope that circles each
mans waist and is twisted through hi:
obi. Their Jail kimonos are Of n dull
drab and on their sockless feet arc
grass sandals, in which they noE
through the corridors.
The most unusual feature OF all TO &
stranger is the fact that each prisoner