＼ 今すぐ接見を依頼する ／
＼ 最短相談を予約する ／
Arrested in Japan? Emergency Criminal Defense Lawyer, 24/7
If someone you know has been arrested in Japan, the first three days matter more than almost anything that follows. Fast Lawyer is an emergency attorney visit service for exactly that window. We take calls 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and a lawyer goes to the police station.
Emergency line: 050-1809-2174 (24/7).
Why the first 72 hours are different
Under Japanese criminal procedure, the police may hold an arrested person for up to 48 hours before sending the case to a prosecutor. The prosecutor then has 24 hours to request detention from a judge. If the judge grants it, detention normally runs for 10 days and can be extended by another 10.
During the first 72 hours, family members are not permitted to visit. Only a lawyer can meet the person in custody. This is the single point that surprises people most, and it is why waiting to see what happens is rarely a good idea.
What a lawyer can do at this stage
- Meet the detained person in private, without a police officer present
- Explain, in plain terms, what is being alleged and what happens next
- Advise on how to respond to questioning, and on the right to remain silent
- Contact the family and pass on information the police will not
- Where appropriate, make submissions to the prosecutor or the judge against detention
- Where there is a victim, begin the process of discussing a settlement through the lawyer
Points that often matter for foreign nationals
Do not sign what you cannot read
Statements taken during questioning are written in Japanese and you will be asked to sign them. Once signed, a statement is difficult to walk back later. You are not required to sign a document you do not understand.
Interpretation
An interpreter is generally arranged for official questioning. That interpreter works for the investigation, not for you. Discussing your situation separately with your own lawyer is a different thing entirely.
Your consulate
You may ask that your embassy or consulate be notified of your detention. A consulate cannot represent you in the case, but it can contact your family and provide a list of lawyers.
Residence status
A criminal case and immigration procedures run on separate tracks. The outcome of the criminal case can affect residence status, but immigration makes its own decisions. If you hold a visa or permanent residence, this is worth raising with your lawyer early rather than after the criminal case ends.
Duty lawyer, court-appointed lawyer, private lawyer
| When available | How long | |
|---|---|---|
| Duty lawyer (touban bengoshi) | On request after arrest | One visit only |
| Court-appointed (kokusen) | Generally after detention is ordered | Through the case |
| Privately retained | Immediately | Through the case |
The point of the table is the timing. A court-appointed lawyer is normally assigned only after detention has already been ordered, which is after the window in which detention might have been avoided.
Areas we cover
Tokyo (all wards and cities except the islands), Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba. Our office is in Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. A list of the police stations we attend is available on the Japanese pages for Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba.
If you do not know which station the person is being held at, tell us where and roughly when the arrest happened and we will check.
Fees
A first attorney visit starts from 33,000 yen. Consumption tax and travel costs are charged separately, and a surcharge applies late at night and early in the morning. Anything beyond the first visit is quoted and agreed before we proceed.
How to reach us
Call 050-1809-2174 at any hour. Please have ready, if you can: the full name of the person arrested, where and when it happened, and the police station if you know it. A family member or friend may make the request on the person’s behalf.
Japanese-language information is available throughout the rest of this site, including frequently asked questions.
Supervising attorney: Taisuke Hirose, Tokyo Bar Association.
This page is general information about criminal procedure in Japan and is not legal advice on any particular case.