This film investigates the Japanese justice system through the case of a young man, who is trying to defend his innocence against a false ‘groping’ charge. With a 99.9% convinction rate in Japanese courts (I was so shocked to learn that!) the chances of acquittal are extremly unlikely, despite the charge being minor. The man is advised by police and lawyers alike to plead guilty, pay a small fine and walk free but instead he chooses to defend his innocence, irrespective of the hardships it entails – such as imprisonment, hefty bail charges and ten sessions in court.
This film is an interesting and thought-provoking watch, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who gets a kick out of court case drama – or even to those who don’t.
Category: Culture & Society