Accusation - Kokuhatsu

It is a written or oral declaration of criminal facts by a person other than the perpetrator or the person with the right to accuse to a public prosecutor or judicial police officer, and an expression of intent to request prosecution. Anyone can make an accusation (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 239, Paragraph 1). It is distinguished from surrender, in which the perpetrator himself declares the criminal facts, and accusation, in which the person with the right to accuse (such as the victim) declares the criminal facts. If a government official (national public official) or a public official (local public official) believes that a crime has been committed in the course of his/her duties, he/she is obligated to make an accusation (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 239, Paragraph 2). A judicial police officer who receives an accusation must promptly send the documents and evidence related to the accusation to the public prosecutor (Criminal Procedure Law, Article 242). Crimes of private monopoly or unfair trade restraint under the Antimonopoly Law, violations of international agreements and final decisions, and violations of regulations regarding corporate activities, etc., are discussed after the Fair Trade Commission makes an accusation (Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolies and Maintenance of Fair Trade, Article 96, Paragraph 1). In other words, the accusation in this case is a condition of the proceedings. This accusation cannot be revoked once a public prosecution has been instituted. The National Tax Offences Control Law and the Customs Law also contain special provisions regarding the accusation as a condition of proceedings in national tax offences and customs offences cases.

[Ichiro Uchida and Morikazu Taguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

犯人または告訴権者以外の者が、書面または口頭で、検察官または司法警察員に対し、犯罪事実を申告し、同時に訴追を求める意思表示をいう。告発は、何人(なんぴと)でもこれをすることができる（刑事訴訟法239条1項）。犯人自ら犯罪事実を申告する自首および告訴権者（被害者など）が犯罪事実を申告する告訴と区別される。官吏（国家公務員）または公吏（地方公務員）は、その職務を行うことにより犯罪があると考えるときは、告発の義務を負う（同法239条2項）。告発を受けた司法警察員は、速やかに告発に関する書類および証拠物を検察官に送付しなければならない（同法242条）。独占禁止法上の私的独占または不当な取引制限の罪、国際的協定・確定審決違反等の罪、会社活動等に関する規定違反の罪は、公正取引委員会の告発を待って、これを論ずる（私的独占の禁止及び公正取引の確保に関する法律96条1項）。すなわちこの場合の告発は訴訟条件である。この告発は、公訴の提起があったのちは、これを取り消すことができない。国税犯則取締法および関税法でも、国税犯則事件および関税犯則事件に関する訴訟条件としての告発について特別の規定が置かれている。

［内田一郎・田口守一］

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