Screening the Law: A Study On the Portrayal of Wrongful Conviction in Japanese Legal Dramas

Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts major in Japanese Studies

First Advisor

Karl Ian U. Cheng Chua, PhD

Abstract

The legal drama is a popular television genre that is primarily concerned with how legal practitioners operate within the justice system, giving the uninitiated viewers a glimpse of how the legal procedure operates. Through these shows, the lay audience is made aware of how the law is applied and the problems surrounding it, such as miscarriages of justice. These fictional narratives, given their accessibility, enable the audience to learn about legal issues and reflect on commonly held notions about the law. At the same time, these programs reveal the role of law within society at large and how it contributes to the construction of a national identity. The relationship of law and media, particularly in Japan, is an emerging research area that this study aims to look into. Specifically, this thesis aims to understand how legal dramas in Japan portray the problem of wrongful conviction, given that the country is known for its efficient criminal justice system and high conviction rate. As legal dramas are emotionally charged narratives that delve into issues of justice, this study would also like to look into how contemporary legal dramas elicit affect from the audience. To answer these questions, this study will make use of content analysis by doing a formalistic reading of three courtroom dramas that were broadcasted in Japan from 2018-2019. By using Sara Ahmed’s theory on affect and shame as a framework, this thesis will look into how the dramas depicted wrongful conviction as shameful and how this is tied to the nation’s identity.

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