In the Japanese criminal justice system, the prosecutor has more control over life, liberty, and reputation than any other figure. Prosecutors make critical decisions about "who gets what" in Japan, chiefly by monopolizing decisions as to who will be charged with crimes, and for what. Based on extensive fieldwork inside a large prosecutors office in Japan and on numerous surveys and interviews, Johnson presents the first in-depth study in any language to describe and explain the role of Japan's 2000 prosecutors, the contexts in which they work, and the formidable powers they individually and collectively exercise.