61st JFBA General Meeting -Declaration Requesting Establishment of Human Rights Guarantee Systems and Implementation of International Human Rights Standards in Japan-

• Japanese

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) strongly urges the Government of Japan (GOJ) and the Diet to immediately take the four measures listed below which are the highest priority issues with a view to creating systems to guarantee human rights and implementing international human rights standards.

1. To establish a national human rights institution as an independent organ under the Cabinet Office conforming to the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles) and truly independent of the GOJ
2. To introduce individual complaint procedures as set by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and other treaties
3. To establish a third-party body independent of the GOJ in order to determine the causes behind miscarriages of justice
4. To fundamentally reform the criminal investigation system such as by achieving the realization of transparency in interrogations, i.e., visual recording of the entire process of interrogations, in order to enhance the rights of suspects and defendants