PRESS CONFERENCE
A Call to Investigate Alleged Misconduct by Prosecutors
Masako Mori, Former Minister of Justice
Yoshihiro Mukai, Attorney Representing the Mother of "Runa"
13:00-14:00 Monday, August 3, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
Last year, "Hikari" (pseudonym), a female prosecutor who accused the former chief prosecutor of the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office of sexual assault, spoke at the FCCJ to call for an independent third-party investigation. More than a year later, no such investigation has been launched.
On June 16, a parliamentary group led by former Justice Minister Masako Mori urged the current justice minister to establish such a third-party committee into Japan's prosecutorial agencies. The group argues that Hikari's case is not an isolated incident after "Runa" (pseudonym), a 16-year-old girl, died after being arrested and detained. There have also been allegations by internal whistleblowers of harassment, unlawful interrogations, and misconduct by prosecutors.
Mori will come to the Club to discuss the allegations and why an independent investigation is necessary. She will be accompanied by the lawyer representing the family of Runa, who will explain his client's case.
How to attend:
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/wVTf7dpYj6ssbdRa9
TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.
Professional Activities Committee