In my second week at Kobelco, I went to Tokyo District Court with Fukuuchi-san and Toyohara-san. It was an amazing experience to see how a court is conducted in another country.
In Japanese district court, attorneys sit on either side of the courtroom, facing the center. In criminal cases (like the one I witnessed), the accused faces the judge(s) from the rear of the courtroom and the witness box is in the center, also facing the judge(s).
We were lucky enough to catch the court conducting a criminal embezzlement case. I was surprised to learn that there were also two lawyers-in-training that sat at a table within the court to gain experience on the proceedings.
After viewing the court, we walked over to the Japanese Imperial Palace. The grounds were so grand, and the palace was breathtaking.
After that, Toyohara-san treated us to dinner at Watashi no Itarian (My Italian). It was the most delicious meal I had eaten since coming to Japan. I loved the mix of Italian with Japanese delicacies. It made for a delicious combination. We sat there talking, laughing, and discussing what we had seen at the court earlier.
I learned so much that day and was overwhelmed by Toyohara-san’s generosity.
[Click on gallery photos below to enlarge.]