Long Ramp Running Co., Ltd.
I’m in court! ? Participatory trial play “Capital Punishment” to be performed in Yokohama! An experiential play where you can experience a jury trial in real life
Should the defendant be given the death penalty, or should the death penalty be avoided? The life of the accused is entrusted to each audience member.
……
The Yokohama performance of the participatory court drama “Capital Punishment” sponsored by Legal Park will be held on June 1, 2024 (Saturday) at the Yokohama Doll’s House “Akaikuku Theater”. Due to the popularity of the performances held in Tokyo in January and September last year, this will be the first time the event will be held outside of Tokyo. A performance in Matsumoto (Nagano Prefecture) is also scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 16th.
Tickets for the Yokohama performance are on sale at Confetti (operated by Long Ramp Running Co., Ltd., Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Daigo Kuramatsu).
Tickets on sale now at Confetti
http://confetti-web.com/kyokkei202406
Official homepage
http://legalpark.jp/kyokukei/
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/13972/2437/resize/d13972-2437-11ff3174de8f3664df94-0.jpg&s3=13972-2437-c539ebbc0974795d17ee4945be2f6f07-1654×2339.jpg]
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/13972/2437/resize/d13972-2437-7CBC6E4A0ED41C8B9A40-1.jpg &s3=13972-2437-f4569E2994E1D894C234854F57538 AD5-1654X2339.jpg] What is participatory court drama?
Participatory court drama is Japan’s first experience-based theater in which all participating audiences consider the verdict.
The setting is that you have been summoned by the court as a juror candidate, so you are already participating in the play from the moment you arrive at the venue.
Six jurors are selected by lottery after the performance starts, sit next to the judge, and ask questions directly to the defendant and witnesses. After the trial is over, the case will be moved to a separate room for deliberations and a verdict. Audience members who were not selected will also be able to ask questions, comment, and vote on their verdicts from their smartphones. You will experience a real jury trial.
The progress of the trial and the verdict will change each time depending on the participants on that day and who is selected as a juror.
What is the lay judge system?
The lay judge system began on May 21, 2009.
This system is a system in which citizens participate in the judiciary, and jurors selected from among the citizens participate in important criminal trials.
Jurors attend hearings held in court and work with the judge to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty, and if found guilty, what punishment should be given.
Since 2020, the 15th year since the system began, 18-year-old high school students have become eligible to serve as jurors.
Therefore, we planned this participatory trial drama to reconsider the significance of the jury system and to prepare people for what it would be like to be selected as a jury member.
What’s interesting about “Capital Punishment”?
◆All of you in the audience will participate in the trial as one judge! The play progresses according to a realistic court case, and invites the audience to experience a space that is difficult to experience in everyday life, as it allows the audience to judge the verdict themselves.
◆ Audience members selected as jurors will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the defendant and witnesses on stage! The flow of the trial in the movie may change greatly depending on your questions! The progress of the trial and the verdict change each time depending on the audience present that day. That is one of the characteristics of the participatory trial drama “Capital
Punishment.”
◆During the play, audience members can post on their smartphones to a dedicated chat. You will be able to ask questions and exchange opinions in real time while the trial progresses quietly. You can experience forming your own ideas while being exposed to various opinions and impressions that are different from your own. This is the most appealing part of the participatory trial drama “Capital Punishment.”
◆You don’t know when you will be selected as a juror in the future, but what kind of thoughts and feelings will you have when you are actually selected and participate in a trial? This will be a valuable opportunity to gain such experience.
Thoughts on last year’s performance
◆It was a time to seriously face the death penalty and life. I had no choice but to press the post button, thinking it would be the death penalty, but after that, I felt a heavy sense of dread. (Office worker in his 30s)
◆It was really interesting to be able to watch the many chats flowing in real time on my smartphone while watching the trial unfold before my eyes. (Student in his 20s)
◆What are the thoughts of the randomly chosen members of the jury? The fact that this could change the verdict made me realize the danger of the system in which people judge people and the weight of
responsibility. (Housewife in her 40s)
◆While I did not know when I would be selected as a jury candidate, I am really glad that I had the opportunity to experience a jury trial like this and think about the verdict of the case. I wanted more people to experience it. (Self-employed in 50s)
story
Robbery and murder case that occurred in Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama City The defendant, Kenichi Sase, was chased by debts and visited Horikawa Machinery, where he once worked, and applied for a loan from the manager, Hideo Horikawa, but was refused. The defendant remembered that there was always tens of thousands of yen in cash on the desk in his office, and decided to steal it. Late at night, he breaks into Horikawa Kikai’s office and looks for money, but Hideo finds him. The defendant stabbed Hideo to death with the knife he was carrying, and was also found by Hideo’s wife, Yoshiko, who came to the office after noticing the noise, and stabbed Yoshiko to death as well. After this, the defendant stole an envelope containing 120,000 yen from the drawer and fled.
At trial, prosecutors sought the death penalty. Defense attorneys argued that the death penalty should be avoided. The background of each defendant and victim. How would you judge?
General direction: Lawyer Hidetomo Imai
A former public prosecutor, university teacher, and representative director of Legal Park, he teaches law education classes and also supervises law for dramas and other dramas.
Performance summary
Participatory court drama “Capital Punishment”
Participatory court drama “Capital Punishment” – I’m in the courtroom! ? – Yokohama performance
Performance date and time: Saturday, June 1, 2024 12:30 / 17:00 *Doors open 30 minutes before the court starts.
Venue: Yokohama Doll’s House “Red Theater” (18 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture)
■Performers
Prosecutor: Junko Misaki
Defense attorney: Yoji Akiba
Defendant: Toranojo Azuma / Shota Inoue
Victim daughter: Fumika Koguchi
Defendant’s mother: Kimie Shingyoji
Presiding judge: Kei Shinomiya / Hidetomo Imai
■Ticket price
Advance ticket: General: 5,000 yen, Student: 3,000 yen
On the day: General: 6,000 yen, Student: 4,000 yen
(All seats are free/tax included)
*Please present your student ID when visiting.
■Related organizations
Sponsor: Legal Park General Incorporated Association
Co-host: Agora Station Co., Ltd.
Cooperation: Type R Co., Ltd., Asco Co., Ltd.
Sponsored by: Kanagawa Prefecture Board of Education Clinical Legal Education Society, Law and Education Society, Ryukoku University Criminology Research Center, Criminal Justice Mirai (CJF), TKC Co., Ltd., Criminal Defense OASIS
About Legal Park General Incorporated Association
This is an organization that specializes in projects related to “legal education” that consider the significance of laws and rules. In collaboration with the United Union of Student Legal Education (USLE), we bring university students and law graduate students to elementary, junior high, and high schools across the country to conduct legal education classes such as mock trials and mock voting. We also develop teaching materials such as the “Constitutional Map” and conduct lectures and seminars.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/13972/2437/resize/d13972-2437-9717283f4b0ccf6f00b6-2.png&s3=13972-2437-ef68d8169c52c4388e608a9ce39cfd15-520×698.png ]
[Corporate overview]
Legal Park General Incorporated Association
Head office location: Room 203, Higashi 3-25-3, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Representative Director: Hidetomo Imai
Business details:
■School education business (elementary, middle and high school) ■Business for companies and corporations
■Educational materials/product development
■Legal supervision business
HP: http://legalpark.jp
More details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002437.000013972.html