Japan Enacts Bill to Help Crime Victims

   Tokyo, April 18 (Jiji Press)--The Diet, Japan's parliament, enacted a bill Thursday to start a scheme to allow crime victims and bereaved families to receive support from lawyers from soon after incidents.
   The bill to revise the comprehensive legal support law was approved unanimously at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber. The measure passed the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, earlier in April.
   The revised law is aimed at reducing mental and economic burdens on crime victims and bereaved families through comprehensive aid, featuring the new support scheme expected to start by 2026.
   The new scheme will cover sexual crime victims and bereaved families of murder victims and those killed in assault, dangerous driving and other criminal acts committed on purpose. Victims of crimes designated under government ordinances will also be supported.
   The scheme will be available only to those who may have difficulty maintaining their lives if they pay legal costs. In principle, the support will be given free of charge.

(2024/04/18-15:42)