Refusal of ICC request

Japan

Japan - Extradition Act 1953 (2010) EN

(Restrictions on extradition)

Article 2A fugitive shall not be extradited in any of the following circumstances; provided that this shall not apply in cases falling under items (iii), (iv), (viii), or (ix) when the extradition treaty provides otherwise.

(i) When the requested offense is a political offense.

(ii) When the extradition request is deemed to have been made with a view to trying or punishing the fugitive for a political offense which he/she has committed.

(iii) When the requested offense is not punishable by death, life imprisonment with or without work for life or for a long term of three years or more according to the laws and regulations of the requesting country.

(iv) When the act constituting the requested offense is deemed to have been committed in Japan and would not be punishable under the laws and regulations of Japan by death or imprisonment with or without work for life or for a long term of three years or more.

(v) When it is deemed that the act that constitutes the requested offense was committed in Japan or the trial for the offense was held in Japan, but the imposition or the execution of punishment on the fugitive for the requested offense would be barred under the laws and regulations of Japan.

(vi) Except in the case of a fugitive who was convicted in the requesting country for the requested offense, when there is no probable cause to suspect that the fugitive committed the act constituting the requested offense.

(vii) When a criminal prosecution based on the act constituting the requested offense is pending in a Japanese court, or when the judgment in such case has become final.

(viii) When a criminal prosecution for an offense committed by the fugitive other than the requested offense is pending in a Japanese court, or when the fugitive has been sentenced to punishment in a Japanese court, with the requested offense but, has not completed serving the sentence or the sentence is still enforceable.

(9) (ix) When the fugitive is a Japanese national.

Rome Statute

Article 90 Competing requests

1. A State Party which receives a request from the Court for the surrender of a person under article 89 shall, if it also receives a request from any other State for the extradition of the same person for the same conduct which forms the basis of the crime for which the Court seeks the person's surrender, notify the Court and the requesting State of that fact.

2. Where the requesting State is a State Party, the requested State shall give priority to the request from the Court if:

(a) The Court has, pursuant to article 18 or 19, made a determination that the case in respect of which surrender is sought is admissible and that determination takes into account the investigation or prosecution conducted by the requesting State in respect of its request for extradition; or

(b) The Court makes the determination described in subparagraph (a) pursuant to the requested State's notification under paragraph 1.

3. Where a determination under paragraph 2 (a) has not been made, the requested State may, at its discretion, pending the determination of the Court under paragraph 2 (b), proceed to deal with the request for extradition from the requesting State but shall not extradite the person until the Court has determined that the case is inadmissible. The Court's determination shall be made on an expedited basis.

4. If the requesting State is a State not Party to this Statute the requested State, if it is not under an international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, shall give priority to the request for surrender from the Court, if the Court has determined that the case is admissible.

5. Where a case under paragraph 4 has not been determined to be admissible by the Court, the requested State may, at its discretion, proceed to deal with the request for extradition from the requesting State.

6. In cases where paragraph 4 applies except that the requested State is under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State not Party to this Statute, the requested State shall determine whether to surrender the person to the Court or extradite the person to the requesting State. In making its decision, the requested State shall consider all the relevant factors, including but not limited to:

(a) The respective dates of the requests;

(b) The interests of the requesting State including, where relevant, whether the crime was committed in its territory and the nationality of the victims and of the person sought; and

(c) The possibility of subsequent surrender between the Court and the requesting State.

7. Where a State Party which receives a request from the Court for the surrender of a person also receives a request from any State for the extradition of the same person for conduct other than that which constitutes the crime for which the Court seeks the person's surrender:

(a) The requested State shall, if it is not under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, give priority to the request from the Court;

(b) The requested State shall, if it is under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, determine whether to surrender the person to the Court or to extradite the person to the requesting State. In making its decision, the requested State shall consider all the relevant factors, including but not limited to those set out in paragraph 6, but shall give special consideration to the relative nature and gravity of the conduct in question.

Where pursuant to a notification under this article, the Court has determined a case to be inadmissible, and subsequently extradition to the requesting State is refused, the requested State shall notify the Court of this decision.

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

4. In accordance with article 72, a State Party may deny a request for assistance, in whole or in part, only if the request concerns the production of any documents or disclosure of evidence which relates to its national security.