Supreme Court of Japan

“ The court below rejected the contention in its judgment, saying, "It is the purport of the Decision of the Supreme Court (Decision of the 1st Petty Bench, May 7, 1969, Supreme Court Criminal Report Vol. 13, No. 5, p. 641) that the accused is not entitled to be exempted from criminal liability for defamation, notwithstanding his mistaken belief in the existence of the facts so long as it is not proved", and held that the accused could not be exempted from criminal liability for defamation, even if there had been good reason for his mistaken belief in the existence of the facts. ”

“ The provisions of Article 13 shall not grant copyright to a work falling under any of the following categories:
the Constitution and other laws and regulations; public notices, instructions, circular notices and the like issued by organs of the State or local public entities, incorporated administrative agencies or local incorporated administrative agencies; judgments, decisions, orders and decrees of courts, as well as rulings and judgments made by government agencies in proceedings of a quasi-judicial nature ”