The second oral argument hearing was held on February 19, 2026.

On this day, Osaka Prefecture confirmed that it would use the first preparatory document in court, and we also confirmed that we would use the first preparatory document in court.

Relevant evidence was also presented by both sides.

Our written statement contains our assertions regarding the facts and a request for clarification from Osaka Prefecture.

In previous written statements, Osaka Prefecture has claimed that police officers took into consideration Mr. A's exercise of his right to remain silent when questioning him.

However, what the police officer actually said to Mr. A, who remained silent, was that remaining silent meant he was not remorseful, and that remaining silent would leave a bad impression on the judge and jurors.

This cannot be said to be in any way a consideration for the exercise of the right to remain silent.

We have described the actual circumstances of such investigations in our written statement.

Furthermore, the focus of the request for clarification from Osaka Prefecture was the change in classification of T-shirts that Osaka Prefecture allegedly made.

Osaka Prefecture claims that it initially classified the T-shirts as dangerous goods, but changed its status a week later.

However, in previous written statements, Osaka Prefecture has not explained why it initially classified the T-shirts as hazardous materials, or why it changed its handling a week later.

This time we are asking for clarification on that point.

Going forward, Osaka Prefecture will respond to our request for clarification by the end of March, and we will submit a written statement of our legal claims by the end of May.

Today was the first day of oral argument.

We have confirmed that we will use the complaint and Exhibits A1 to A15 in court, while Osaka Prefecture will use the answer and Exhibits B1 to B5.

Osaka Prefecture's response only contained factual assertions, and stated that assertions regarding legality would be made at a later date.

In its response, Osaka Prefecture acknowledged that it had once designated the T-shirts as "hazardous materials."

However, they also claim that about a week after the item was confiscated, it was no longer classified as a "dangerous item" but was instead classified as an item that could be brought into the interrogation room.

There is no mention of whether or not such treatment was communicated to Mr. A or Attorney Matsumoto.

Today in court, Mr. A, Attorney Matsumoto, and the attorney representing him made statements.

In particular, what Mr. A said about the difficulty of keeping silent and the pain of having his T-shirt taken away was heartbreaking.

Going forward, Osaka Prefecture will submit a written statement outlining its position on the law by December 8th.

We will submit a written rebuttal to Osaka Prefecture's claims by the end of January.

The next hearing will be held on Thursday, February 19th at 3:00 PM.

[We filed a lawsuit!]

On July 1, 2025, we filed a lawsuit entitled "Don't take away the Interrogation Refusal T-shirts!" with the Osaka District Court and held a press conference.

In this lawsuit, our legal team will work in a unified manner to do everything in our power to obtain compensation for damages for the violation of the right to remain silent, right to defense, freedom of expression, etc., of those who were wearing T-shirts in detention facilities that read "I refuse interrogation," and to put a stop to the arbitrary exercise and operation of powers by the police.

If the court sets a date for your first hearing, we will post it on this page.

We appreciate your continued support.

[Request for support]

This lawsuit involves a wide range of specialized issues, and the costs of obtaining expert opinions are expected to be significant. We need the support of many people to continue this lawsuit. We would appreciate your support.

We would appreciate it if you could share this lawsuit with those you know. We would also appreciate your cooperation in sharing and spreading the word on social media.