This article provides an overview of the Japanese criminal justice system, including punishments for various crimes, the roles of the police, courts, and prosecutors in the system, types of sentences handed down by courts, and alternatives to jail time for non-violent offenders. It explains how laws are codified into statutes and enforced by the police and courts, how judges alone decide cases without input from juries, and how prosecutors have wide discretion when it comes to deciding whether or not to bring charges against someone or how to proceed with a case. Additionally, it outlines alternative forms of punishment such as community service or house arrest that may be imposed depending on circumstances surrounding each case at hand. Finally, it discusses deferred prosecution agreements which allow defendants who plead guilty but agree not commit any further offenses over a period time avoid jail time while still being held accountable their actions.