On April 3, 2024, the 16th hearing of the impeachment trial of Judge Okaguchi Motokazu was held.

The procedures carried out on this day were as follows:

・Judgment

2. The contents of the judgment are as follows:

Dismiss the accused.

The costs of the proceedings shall be borne by the defendant.

*The summary of the judgment, which was provided by the Impeachment Court to media outlets and defense lawyers today, is posted here .

The impeachment trial judgment against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was scheduled to be handed down at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27th, but the decision has been made to change the date.

The new deadline is April 3rd (Wednesday) at 2:00 p.m.

• Oral update
• Defense attorney's final opinion statement
• Final statement of the accused person

1. Regarding the absence of impeachment jurors, among the jurors, Rep. Kazunori Tanaka (Liberal Democratic Party) and Rep. Masaaki Akaike (Liberal Democratic Party) were absent, but there were no replacements from reserve members, leaving the number of jurors at 12. .
2. The next deadline has been set as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. A sentencing hearing is scheduled.

On February 7, 2024, the 14th session of the impeachment trial against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was held.

1. The procedures carried out on this day are as follows.

• Oral update
• Request for evidence by the Judge Prosecution Committee, defense attorney's opinion on the request, acceptance of evidence, and announcement of summary
• Request for evidence by the defense attorney, the opinion of the Judge Prosecution Committee regarding the request, acceptance of evidence, and announcement of the summary.
• The presiding judge declares the end of evidence examination.
• Final opinion statement of the Judicial Prosecution Committee

There were only two members of the Judicial Prosecution Committee in attendance: Representative Takao Ochi (House of Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party) and Representative Masahiko Shibayama (House of Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party).

2. Regarding the absence of impeachment judges

Among the jurors, the first acting presiding judge, Representative Masaji Matsuyama (3rd Liberal Democratic Party), Representative Sushimaro Fukuoka (3rd Liberal Democratic Party), and Representative Masako Mori (3rd Liberal Democratic Party) were absent, and in their place, Representative Hiroshi Nakata from the reserve (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) and Representative Tsuneyuki Sakai (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) attended.

3. The next deadline has been specified as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The defense attorney's final statement of opinion is scheduled.

On January 24, 2024, the 13th session of the impeachment trial against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was held.

1. The procedures carried out on this day are as follows.

• Oral update
• Among the questioning of the accused (Judge Okaguchi), cross-examination from the Court Prosecution Committee and supplementary questioning from the jurors.

2. Regarding the absence of impeachment judges

The impeachment court is made up of 14 jurors, but the case was heard by 13 jurors because no successor has been decided for former juror Takashi Yamashita (Public Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party), who resigned. Please note that Judge Kazunori Tanaka (Public Party, Liberal Democratic Party) was absent, and a reserve member, Judge Masako Okawara (Public Party, Constitutional Democratic Party) attended in his place.

3. The next deadline has been specified as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. A final statement from the Judicial Prosecution Committee is scheduled.

On December 20, 2023, the 12th session of the impeachment trial against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was held.

1. The procedures carried out on this day are as follows.
   ・Updating the argument ・Announcement of the summary of some of the evidence submitted by the defense attorney ・Main question from the defense attorney among the questioning of the accused (Judge Okaguchi)
2. Regarding the absence of impeachment judges, Acting First Judge Masaji Matsuyama (senior, Liberal Democratic Party) and Judge Shimaro Fukuoka (senior, Liberal Democratic Party) were absent, and Hiroaki Shioda (senior, Komei) was appointed as a reserve member in their place. I participated.
3. The next deadline has been specified as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, January 24, 2023. Among the cross-examination of the accused (Judge Okaguchi), cross-examination by the Judges' Prosecution Committee is scheduled.

On November 1, 2023, the defense attorney filed a motion to challenge the case, arguing that Judge Takashi Yamashita's behavior both inside and outside the courtroom may lead to an unfair trial.

On December 12, before the impeachment court made its decision on this petition, Justice Yamashita submitted a resignation letter, and on the 14th of the same month, the Speaker of the House of Representatives approved his resignation.

Once a replacement judge is selected, it is expected that the information will be posted on the impeachment court's website.

https://www.dangai.go.jp/info/info2.html

On November 22, 2023, the 11th session of the impeachment trial against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was held.

1. The procedures carried out on this day are as follows.
   ・Updating the argument / Examining witnesses for the defense attorney application (Mahiko Ichiki, professor at Tokyo Medical University, Hiroshi Takeuchi, presiding judge of the district court division)
   The main questioning of Professor Ichiki by the defense attorney was conducted while explanatory slides were projected on two screens.
   ・Request for evidence by the defense attorney (documentary evidence related to the statement of the president of the Tohoku Bar Association, etc.), the judge's prosecution committee's opinion regarding this, and adoption of the evidence requested by the defense attorney.
2. Regarding the decision on the motion to challenge After the previous session, the defense attorney filed a motion to challenge Judge Takashi Yamashita, but the impeachment court has not made a decision on the motion as of today.
3. Regarding the absence of impeachment judges, Judge Yuji Yamamoto (House and Liberal Democratic Party) and Judge Takashi Yamashita (House and Liberal Democratic Party) were absent. Judge Yamashita's absence appears to be due to the fact that he has not made a decision on the challenge petition.
4. The next deadline has been specified as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. The defense attorney will explain some of the evidence that was requested and accepted by the defense attorney, and the defense attorney is scheduled to continue questioning Judge Okaguchi.

On 1 November 2023, a motion to recuse Judge Takashi Yamashita (former prosecutor and Minister of Justice) was filed.

Petition for recusal of a judge.

Supplementary Statement of Grounds for the Petition

*You can view all the litigation documents by clicking  [Other] of the Materials page.

On October 25, 2023, the 10th session of the impeachment trial against Judge Motoichi Okaguchi was held.
1. The procedures carried out on this day are as follows.
・Updating arguments and questioning witnesses for attorney applications (Takaaki Matsumiya, Specially Appointed Professor, Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Law, Criminal Law)
During cross-examination, two screens prepared by the defense attorney were set up to face both the jury and the audience seats, and these screens were used.
・Request for evidence by the defense attorney (personal evidence: District Court Chief Judge Hiroshitsu Takeuchi) and the opinion of the Judges' Prosecution Committee regarding this, Adoption of evidence requested by the defense attorney 2 Regarding the absence of impeachment judges, etc. Rep. Masako Mori ( Mr. Keiichiro Asao (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) and Mr. Keiichiro Asao (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) were absent, and from the reserve members, Representative Nobuaki Akaike (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) and Representative Hiroshi Nakata (Mr. Liberal Democratic Party) participated as jurors.
3. The next deadline has been specified as 2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Examinations are scheduled for the two witnesses requested by the defense (Mahiko Ichiki, professor at Tokyo Medical University, and Hiroshi Takeuchi, presiding judge of the district court division).