Japanese police and prosecutors are now obliged to record interrogations of suspects in serious criminal cases as legal revisions fully came into force Saturday.
Under the revisions, the entire interrogation process must be recorded in cases subject to lay judge trials, including cases of murder and robbery resulting in death, as well as cases investigated by special prosecutor squads, which often deal with corporate crimes and corruption.
Interrogations of suspects who have mental disabilities will also have to be recorded in full.