Thank you for your continued interest in "#STOPRacialProfiling."

The 7th hearing of the Lawsuit to End Racially Discriminatory Police Questioning is coming up on Thursday, September the 25th, at 1:30 PM!

Filed on January 29, 2024, the case has now reached a critical phase after one year and eight months. At the upcoming hearing, the plaintiffs’ legal team will submit a rebuttal drawing on international court precedents, underscoring Japan’s human rights challenges in the global context.

1.Global Attention on Japan’s Human Rights Challenges

Since its filing, the lawsuit has attracted significant international media attention, with coverage from CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, and other major outlets. International media have described the case as a “litmus test for Japan’s diversity and inclusiveness,” as the number of foreign residents in Japan reaches a record high of approximately three million.

Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch have also stressed the importance of this case. At stake is whether Japan will implement the 2020 recommendation of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which calls for the prevention and eradication of racial profiling by law enforcement.

2.Current Status of the Lawsuit

Three plaintiffs of foreign descent have filed this case, seeking a court ruling on the illegality of racially discriminatory police questioning (“racial profiling”) and demanding state compensation.
To date, the plaintiffs have submitted more than 70 pieces of evidence, including:

• A large-scale comparative survey showing Japanese nationals were 5.8 times less likely to be questioned by police compared to non-Japanese nationals.
• Testimonies from former police officers and numerous individuals of foreign roots.
• Evidence of an internal manual of the Aichi Prefectural Police stating that “anyone who appears to be foreign must have committed some form of illegal act.”
• Analyses of international precedents demonstrating how racial profiling has been addressed in other jurisdictions.

3.“Invisible Discrimination” Revealed in Court

At the sixth oral hearing on July 17, 2025, it was revealed that translations of plaintiff Mr. Shelton’s statements—submitted as evidence by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government—were deliberately altered.

For example, a statement that clearly protested, “Aren’t you going to stop the person crossing the street?” was distorted into “Are you going to arrest me?” Moreover, identical English expressions were translated differently depending on whether the speaker was a plaintiff of foreign origin—rendered in harsher or more aggressive tone—thereby shaping impressions in a prejudicial way.

This is not merely a nuance issue but a matter of fairness in judicial proceedings, showing how racial bias can infiltrate even the courtroom. This lawsuit sheds light on such invisible forms of discrimination and demands systemic correction.

4.Importance of the Seventh Oral Hearing

The plaintiffs will present their counterargument showing how practices in Japan are still lagging, supported by new evidence, especially the Floyd, et al. v. City of New York ruling, which has significantly advanced policies against racial profiling in the US.

The plaintiffs will argue that:

• Japanese courts must recognize the unconstitutionality of racially discriminatory police questioning.
• Practices justified in Japan today have already been explicitly rejected in other countries years ago—for example, reliance on vague police perceptions of “suspicious behavior.”
• Judicial oversight is crucial to prevent prejudice and ensure that police power is not exercised in a discriminatory manner.

【Details of the Hearing】

• Date & Time: September 25, 2025 (Thursday), 13:30–13:45 (scheduled)
•  Location: Tokyo District Court, Courtroom 103
• Content: Plaintiffs to submit rebuttal against the defendants

【Post-Hearing Briefing Session】

• Date & Time: September 25, 2025 (Thursday), 14:20–15:30
• Location: Hibiya Library & Museum, B1F Convention Hall (5 minutes’ walk from court)
• Google Map: https://share.google/ek7NgvYRxMc4UDecp
• Content: Report by the legal team, statements by plaintiffs, Q&A session
• English available

5.Reflections from the Legal Team

Lead attorney Motoki Taniguchi noted:

“As we continue to meet with the plaintiffs and listen to their daily experiences of police questioning, I am struck by both anger and sorrow. One plaintiff recalled being stopped by police while riding in a car with his Japanese friends. There was no accident, no traffic violation, yet the police suddenly ordered the car to pull over. His friends, surprised, asked why this had happened. He had no choice but to tell them, ‘It’s probably because I’m in the car.’

Hearing such stories has made us realize once again how deeply racial profiling wounds people of foreign roots living in Japan. These invisible scars, etched into everyday life, are exactly what this lawsuit seeks to confront and remedy.”

6.Japan’s First “#STOPRacialProfiling Know-Your-Rights Card”

Beyond the courtroom, citizens are also taking initiative. Volunteers supporting the lawsuit are developing Japan’s first “#STOPRacialProfiling Know-Your-Rights Card (Racial Profiling Warning Card)”.(tentative name)”.

The card is designed as a practical tool for individuals targeted due to their appearance to assert their legal rights during police questioning. It can also be used by bystanders witnessing discriminatory questioning to intervene or provide support.

It is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of next year, two years after the lawsuit was filed. We are also looking to solicit bookstores and cafes that can distribute the book, so we would appreciate your cooperation in the future.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

#STOPRacialProfiling
CALL4：https://www.call4.jp/info.php?type=items&id=I0000128
Twitter（X）：https://twitter.com/STOP_RP_
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/stopRPjp/
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/stoprpinjapan/