Administrative punishment - gyosei keibatsu

Among the penalties (administrative penalties) imposed for violations of administrative obligations, those with names in the Criminal Code (imprisonment, incarceration, fines, detention, and fines; Article 9 of the Criminal Code) are referred to. They are widely used as a way to ensure the effectiveness of administrative regulations. Examples include various unlicensed business offenses, and violations of the Road Traffic Act such as driving without a license, driving while drunk, and speeding. They are imposed on administrative offenses that violate social legal interests. Fines as order penalties are a type of administrative penalty, but they are distinguished from administrative criminal penalties in that they are imposed on minor or formal violations that do not directly violate social legal interests. In addition, administrative penalties are different from criminal penalties, which are imposed for acts that are antisocial or immoral in themselves, and are imposed simply for non-compliance with administrative regulations, but they are still criminal penalties, so unless otherwise specified, they are subject to the general provisions of the Criminal Code (Article 8 of the Criminal Code) and are imposed by the court in accordance with the procedures of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, in addition to the violator, the employer or business owner can also be punished (double punishment provision), and corporations are often punished as business owners. Regarding punishment procedures, there are special procedures such as the National Tax Offenses Control Act, notification measures under the Customs Act, procedures for handling violations under the Road Traffic Act, and summary trials under the Traffic Accident Summary Trial Procedures Act. In addition, in light of the special nature of administrative crimes, there is a strong opinion that the law should interpret intent, criminal acts of corporations, and responsibility for the acts of others differently from the Criminal Code without explicit grounds, but there is also an argument that this goes against the principle of criminal legality.

[Yasuhito Abe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

行政上の義務違反に対して科せられる罰（行政罰）のうち、刑法に刑名のある刑罰（懲役、禁錮、罰金、拘留、科料。刑法9条）をいう。行政法規の実効性を担保する方法として広く用いられる。たとえば、各種無許可営業罪、無免許運転・酔っぱらい運転・スピード違反などの道路交通法違反罪がその例である。社会的法益を侵害する行政犯に科される。秩序罰としての過料は、行政罰の一種であるが、直接には社会的法益を侵害しない軽微・形式的な違反行為に対して科せられる点で行政刑罰と区別される。また行政刑罰は、それ自体として反社会性・反道徳性を有する行為に対して科される刑事罰と異なり、単に行政法規の不遵守に対して科されるものであるが、刑罰に変わりはないので、別段の規定がある場合のほかは、刑法総則の適用を受け（刑法8条）、裁判所が刑事訴訟法の手続に従って科する。ただし、違反行為者のほか、その使用主や事業主も科刑される（両罰規定）し、法人も事業主として処罰されることが多いという特色がある。処罰手続についても、国税犯則取締法、関税法による通告処分、道路交通法による反則行為の処理手続、交通事件即決裁判手続法による即決裁判等の特別手続がある。このほか、故意、法人の犯罪行為、他人の行為に対する責任について、行政犯の特殊性にかんがみ、明文の根拠なくして刑法と異なる解釈をする意見が有力だが、それは罪刑法定主義に反するとの反論もある。

［阿部泰隆］

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