冤罪

• Reading: えんざい
• Romaji: enzai
• Kanji breakdown: 冤 (en) — unjust accusation, grievance; 罪 (zai) — crime, sin, guilt
• Pronunciation: /en.za.i/

Meaning

False charge; wrongful conviction; miscarriage of justice. Being charged, prosecuted, or convicted of a crime one did not commit.

Composed of 冤 (unjust accusation/grievance) and 罪 (crime/sin/guilt). A serious legal and social term highlighting failures of the justice system. Japan's historically high conviction rate (over 99%) makes wrongful convictions a particularly sensitive topic. 冤罪被害者 (victims of wrongful conviction) are subjects of ongoing legal reform campaigns. Distinct from 無罪 (not guilty verdict) in that 冤罪 specifically implies an innocent person was punished.

Examples

1. 長年刑務所に服役していた男性が冤罪と認められ、ようやく釈放された。 A man who had served many years in prison was recognised as a victim of a wrongful conviction and was finally released.
2. 冤罪を防ぐためには、捜査機関の透明性と適正な司法手続きが不可欠だ。 To prevent wrongful convictions, transparency in investigative agencies and proper judicial procedures are indispensable.
3. 支援団体が冤罪被害者の再審請求を支え、真実の解明に尽力している。 A support group backs the retrial requests of wrongful conviction victims and works tirelessly to uncover the truth.

Usage Guide

Context: law, society, journalism, human rights

Tone: serious

Origin & History

冤 (en, unjust suffering/grievance; the character depicts suppression or concealment of injustice) + 罪 (zai, crime/sin). A classical compound used in both Chinese and Japanese to denote punishment imposed on the innocent.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Contemporary

Generation: Adults

Social background: General