Seized property obtained through a property crime which does not need to be placed in custody must be ruled to be returned to the victim, only when the reason necessitating return to the victim is clear, without waiting for the conclusion of the case and after hearing the opinions of the public prosecutor and the defendant or the defense counsel.
押収した贓物で留置の必要がないものは、被害者に還付すべき理由が明らかなときに限り、被告事件の終結を待たないで、検察官及び被告人又は弁護人の意見を聴き、決定でこれを被害者に還付しなければならない。
The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not prevent interested parties from claiming their rights in accordance with the procedures of civil actions.
前項の規定は、民事訴訟の手続に従い、利害関係人がその権利を主張することを妨げない。
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public prosecutor
検察官
The official who brings a prosecution (公訴) for a crime before a court (Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 247), and who may decide not to prosecute where, in view of the offender's character, age and circumstances, the gravity and circumstances of the offence and what happened after it, prosecution is not needed (Article 248). In criminal cases a public prosecutor asks the court to apply the law correctly and oversees the carrying out of its judgments; and, as the representative of the public interest, a public prosecutor also does the work other laws and regulations assign to a public prosecutor, which is not limited to criminal cases (Public Prosecutors Office Act, Article 4). A public prosecutor may investigate any crime (Article 6, paragraph (1)). Public prosecutors work through the public prosecutors offices (検察庁): the Supreme, High, District and Local Public Prosecutors Offices (Article 1).
Written by AI using Code of Criminal Procedure, Arts. 247, 248 and Public Prosecutors Office Act, Arts. 1, 4, 6 as a reference.