Court martial - Gumpoukaigi

A military court is a special criminal court belonging to the military. Military courts began in France before the French Revolution, when the king established special punishment institutions in military units to punish crimes and violations of military discipline committed by soldiers. In France, the military court system was established by law in 1857.

After the Meiji Restoration in Japan, the Inquiry Office was first established within the Ministry of War, and later Army and Navy courts were established within the Army and Navy ministries, but Army courts-martial were established by the Army Criminal Offences Law of 1883 (Meiji 16), and Navy courts-martial by the Navy Criminal Offences Law of 1884, and they continued to exist until they were abolished in 1946 (Showa 21). For example, in the case of the Army, there were permanent courts-martial such as the High, Military, and Divisional courts-martial, and special courts-martial such as the encircled area courts-martial held when martial law was declared, and the temporary courts-martial for units organized in times of war or incident. In the case of the Army Court Martial, the jurisdiction extended to Army soldiers, reservists during conscription and on active duty, paramilitary personnel such as military personnel, Army chartered seamen, and prisoners of war, and the judges were made up of judges (Army corps officers) and Army legal officers. The accused could select as his defense counsel from among Army officers, Army high civil servants, their probationary assistants, and lawyers designated by the Minister of the Army.

After the war, Article 76, paragraph 2 of the Japanese Constitution prohibited the establishment of special courts, so establishing a military court would be considered unconstitutional.

[Jun Furukawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

軍に属する特別の刑事裁判所をいう。軍法会議は、市民革命前のフランスにおいて、国王が出征部隊に特別の処罰機関を設けて、兵士の犯罪や軍紀違反を処罰させたことに始まる。同国では、1857年に法律によって軍法会議制度を整備した。

　日本では明治維新以後、初め兵部省内に糺問司(きゅうもんし)が設けられ、のちに陸・海軍各省内に陸軍裁判所・海軍裁判所が設けられたが、1883年（明治16）の陸軍治罪法により陸軍軍法会議が、また84年の海軍治罪法により海軍軍法会議が法定され、1921年（大正10）の陸軍軍法会議法・海軍軍法会議法により改正され、46年（昭和21）に廃止されるまで存続。軍法会議には、たとえば陸軍の場合、高等・軍・師団軍法会議のような常設のものと、戒厳宣告の際の合囲地軍法会議および戦時・事変の際に編成された部隊の臨時軍法会議のような特設のものとがあった。陸軍軍法会議の場合、裁判権は、陸軍の軍人、召集中および勤務中の在郷軍人、軍属などの準軍人、陸軍用船船員、俘虜(ふりょ)に及び、裁判官は判士（陸軍兵科将校）、陸軍法務官より構成された。また被告人は、弁護人として、陸軍将校・陸軍高等文官または同試補・陸軍大臣指定の弁護士のなかから選任することができた。

　戦後、日本国憲法第76条2項は特別裁判所の設置を禁止したので、軍法会議を設けることは違憲と考えられる。

［古川　純］

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