Forensic/Investigative interview is a method of interviewing a child who is alleged to have been a victim of abuse, in order to obtain accurate information from them with as little burden as possible. In Japan, since 2015, Child Guidance Centers, the police, and prosecutors have been working together to conduct these interviews, and with the revision of the Code of Criminal Procedure in 2023, it has become possible to use the audio and video recording media as evidence in court. In this paper, we will describe the NICHD protocol developed by Lamb M. E. and colleagues, which is widely used in Japan, and in particular, the revised version that was developed with consideration for children who are reluctant to talk. We reviewed research on the following:（1）the importance of rapport building and getting the child to talk about internal information,（2）the importance of support, and（3）the effectiveness of ending the interview before going into the substantial topic if rapport cannot be established, and planning the additional interview. When open-ended questions are used in an interview based on rapport and support, the disclosure rate increases and more information is obtained. The significance of such improvements were discussed in the context of finding the covert victims.

Forensic interviewing is a specialized method for gathering information about the facts of victimization from children suspected of experiencing abuse. To conduct these interviews properly, a multidisciplinary approach is required that emphasizes minimizing psychological trauma while obtaining accurate information. From the initial stages, it is critical to avoid suggestive or leading questioning and to collaborate closely with various professional organizations involved in child protection. Medical institutions play a crucial role in this process and must develop comprehensive knowledge of forensic interviewing techniques to ensure that medical interviews and examinations do not inadvertently compromise the integrity of the forensic investigation or cause additional psychological harm to the child. Currently, prosecutors in Japan primarily conduct forensic interviews. However, given the complex challenges—such as the significant number of child victims, the high level of specialized expertise required, the need for interviewer neutrality, and the substantial emotional and professional burden—there is an urgent need to develop a more robust system. This system should include comprehensive training programs for forensic interviewers, ongoing professional development opportunities, and peer review mechanisms. Additionally, to protect the advocacy of abused children, Japan needs to establish a framework inspired by Western systems, in which addressing the trauma care of both children and interviewers will play an essential role.

As an interviewer at the Children's Advocacy Center “Tsunagg” and through my work as a lawyer representing child victims, I explain the current practices and issues surrounding forensic/investigative interviewing in Japan. There are two types of forensic interviews for children in Japan: forensic interviews conducted as a triage function when a child is suspected to be a victim（Type 1）, and forensic interviews conducted as part of a criminal investigation（Type 2）. However, almost all interviews conducted in Japan fall under the second category（Type 2）. For children, it is urgently necessary to develop a more comprehensive system. Interviews should prioritize the safety and well-being of children, not solely serve the purpose of criminal proceedings. Like in the United States, we should respond immediately after a report of suspected abuse is made. Forensic interviews and top-to-toe physical examinations should be conducted promptly and used as a triage function to determine whether law enforcement or child protection services need to be involved. At the same time, it is essential to gather evidence and information during the triage process. We are never able to guarantee only one person will question the child but we want to cut down on the number of interviews and minimize system trauma.

In criminal proceedings, children who have been victims of sexual abuse recount their experiences in two primary contexts: during judicial interviews and witness questioning in trials. Although psychological care is crucial, in Japan it is often delayed or approached with caution owing to concerns that it may compromise the credibility of the child's testimony in court. Consequently, psychological care may be postponed, prioritizing judicial interviews or administered cautiously to avoid influencing the child's memory in anticipation of witness questioning. However, such practices risk causing lasting emotional harm and neglect to uphold the child's best interests. This study examines the potential benefits of providing psychological care to children before judicial interviews and witness questioning, drawing on the UK's guidelines for pre-trial therapy and the author's professional experience in psychological care. This discussion focuses on approaches that ensure children's memories remain unaltered while addressing their psychological needs.

In this paper, we first provide an overview of the progress and improvements in representative or forensic interviewing techniques for alleged child victims and multi-agency cooperation in the prosecution（judicial）. We then describe the initiatives taken to promote the cooperation of legal professionals, including judges and lawyers involved in the post-interview process, as well as school teachers, to prevent the contamination of pre-interview statements. We also outline the involvement of prosecutors in representative or forensic interviews in the context of the overall Japanese criminal justice and prosecution framework, including newly introduced legislation to protect the personal information of victims and others in criminal proceedings.

In empirical studies of the TIC, it has been pointed out that there is a lack of robust scales for psychometric assessment and that the target population is biased towards healthcare professionals. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the ARTIC-35 and its shortened version, the ARTIC-10, and to clarify issues with their use in the target population. As a result of examining the structural validity, the five-factor model of the ARTIC-35 met the fit indices' criteria, except for certain indicators (χ²=1823.63, df=550, p<.001, CFI=.80, RMSEA=.06, SRMR=.07). In this study, exploratory factor analysis extracted a four-factor model, ARTIC-19, which demonstrated better model fit compared to the five-factor model (χ²=391.75, df=146, p<.001, CFI=.92, RMSEA=.05, SRMR=.05). Conversely, the one-factor structure of the ARTIC-10 did not meet the acceptable fit criteria (χ²=285.51, df=35, p<.001, CFI=.77, RMSEA=.10, SRMR=.07). Reliability coefficients for the ARTIC-35, ARTIC-19, and ARTIC-10 were within an acceptable range. A correlation analysis was conducted between the expectedly related variables of KAP-TIP, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, burnout, the presence of self-care strategies, and intention to leave. The results tentatively suggest a general tendency toward supporting convergent validity. However, issues previously noted in prior research, including instability of the factor structure and challenges with item phrasing, were also identified in the present study. Future challenges include examining the reliability and validity of the instrument across participants from diverse professional domains and practice areas, conducting qualitative analyses of item expressions in collaboration with multiple experts, and exploring potential areas for refinement and improvement.

This paper explains the “psychological support additional payment” that was newly introduced with the June 2024 revision of medical fees for patients who have experienced traumatic events and who are suffering from symptoms caused by the events. For medical institutions that are actively involved in trauma treatment, the introduction of this payment is considered to be positive. We hope that this will lead to the further spread of treatment opportunities other than traumafocused therapy and broaden the scope of support.

In 2016, Cabinet decided on the Third Basic Plan for Crime Victims. Since then, it has been indicated the need to support children who may be adversely affected mentally and physically by their siblings' victimization. However, parents are most likely to be targeted for support in the event of their child's death. Research needs to be accumulated by experts to recognize the need for sibling support. This study provides an overview of findings on the experience of sibling loss and a literature review of domestic and overseas research trends on children who have lost a sibling because of crime. However, not many domestic and overseas studies exist. In overseas studies, reports from the war period and, more recently, cumulative studies on specific incidents have been found. Domestic case reports were published in the 2000s. Thereafter, progress was observed; however, most of this was the result of a specific researcher's research. Therefore, further studies are warranted.