SMBC Nikko Shows Risks for Expat Workers in Japan, Ex-Prosecutor Says

The alleged market manipulation scandal at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. is the latest case that highlights the risks facing foreign executives in Japan because of the country’s “pre-modern” justice system, according to a former Japanese prosecutor.

There is little impetus within the Asian nation to reform its justice system, and foreigners caught up in it can find themselves in an “extremely challenging position” to protect their own rights, Nobuo Gohara told reporters at a press conference in Tokyo. That’s partly because of language issues, he said.