Signing of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Japan and the Republic of Korea

January 20, 2006

The signing of the Treaty between Japan and the Republic of Korea on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (Japan-R.O.K. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) is scheduled to take place between Mr. Taro Aso, Japanese Foreign Minister, and Mr. Ra Jong-yil, R.O.K. Ambassador to Japan, on January 20 (Fri) in Tokyo (Foreign Ministry).
The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty stipulates that each Party shall, upon request by the other, provide mutual legal assistance in connection with investigations, prosecutions and other proceedings in criminal matters, and as a framework for that purpose, that each Party shall designate the Central Authority (for Japan, the Central Authority is the Minister of Justice or the National Public Safety Commission, and for the R.O.K., the Central Authority is the Minister of Justice), which shall communicate directly with one another. It is expected that the conclusion of this treaty ensures that requests for legal assistance made by Japan to the R.O.K. will be implemented with increased certainty, and that mutual legal assistance will be provided in a more speedy manner through direct communication between the Central Authorities.

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