In August 2013, the Representation Project organized and served as faculty at a two-day training seminar presented by the International Justice Project & the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA). It was the first time that a specialized training on the defense of death penalty cases had been held in Japan for lawyers who are representing capital defendants at trial and prisoners on death row. The seminar was attended by more than 60 attorneys, and it introduced concepts such as the duty of defense lawyers to thoroughly and independently investigate the facts of the case, the duty to develop mitigation evidence for sentencing, and the need for special protection of vulnerable groups. It also included a detailed discussion on the development and use of the ABA Guidelines. The JFBA is now planning additional training sessions in 8 cities in Japan where the high courts are located. The Project looks forward to additional work with the Japanese Bar to improve training and standards for capital representation.
The Project previously made a presentation about international death penalty standards at the International Leadership Conference on Human Rights and the Death Penalty in Tokyo in 2005.