Article 39

①The defendant or the suspect in custody may, without any official being present, have an interview with, or send to or receive documents or articles from defense counsel or prospective defense counsel upon the request of a person entitled to appoint defense counsel (with regard to a person who is not an attorney, this applies only after the permission prescribed in Article 31, paragraph (2) has been obtained).

②With regard to the interview or the sending or receiving of documents or articles prescribed in the preceding paragraph, such measures may be provided by laws and regulations (including the Rules of Court; the same applies hereinafter) as are necessary to prevent the flight of the defendant or the suspect, the concealment or destruction of evidence, or the sending or receiving of articles which may hinder safe custody.

③A public prosecutor, public prosecutor's assistant officer or judicial police official ("judicial police official" means both a judicial police officer and a judicial police constable; the same applies hereinafter) may, when it is necessary for investigation, designate the date, place and time of the interview or sending or receiving of documents or articles prescribed in paragraph (1) only prior to the institution of prosecution; provided however, that such designation must not unduly restrict the rights of the suspect to prepare for defense.