Ryujiro Oyabu, who was arrested for violating the Marijuana Control Law in Gunma Prefecture on August 8, the so-called “Leaf Day,” which is as popular as April 20 among those interested in marijuana, was tried in the Maebashi District Court from October 26, 2021, not on the basis of possession, but on the basis that the law itself was unconstitutional. The trial was concluded on June 4, 2024, with a sentence of six months in prison and a three-year suspended sentence. Attorney Marui, a human rights lawyer who has represented the defendant in marijuana trials for many years, said, “We have repeatedly asked the prosecutor to show evidence of the harmfulness of marijuana and the necessity of punishment, but we have reached the final argument without fulfilling our burden of proof. However, he did not fulfill his burden of proof, and the case went to trial. People all over the world are paying attention to the outcome of this trial. For the sake of Japan’s future, please don’t add to the negative history and the number of victims. I hope the presiding judge will make a wise decision,” said Mr. Oyabu in his closing statement.