The defendant may remain silent at all times or may refuse to answer particular questions.
被告人は、終始沈黙し、又は個々の質問に対し、供述を拒むことができる。
If the defendant makes a statement voluntarily, the presiding judge may ask the defendant any necessary questions at any time.
被告人が任意に供述をする場合には、裁判長は、何時でも必要とする事項につき被告人の供述を求めることができる。
The associate judge, the public prosecutor, the defense counsel, the codefendant or the defense counsel of said codefendant may, by notifying the presiding judge, also ask questions as prescribed in the preceding paragraph.
陪席の裁判官、検察官、弁護人、共同被告人又はその弁護人は、裁判長に告げて、前項の供述を求めることができる。
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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.