Japan’s Ministry of Justice launched a system Wednesday by which victims in criminal cases will be notified of death row inmates’ executions by document or phone.

The new system updates the existing, broader policy introduced in November 2008, by which the ministry provides information and support to victims of criminal cases.

The existing policy provides victims and their families access to non-prosecution records in cases where the victim was “injured or killed by a criminal act.” Victims can receive support during the investigation phase, as well as during and after the trial. The policy also allows victims of civil cases to receive information regarding their cases, though not before their trial.

Victims, their families, spouses, other relatives and their lawyers will be informed of the inmates’ scheduled release from prison, the dates they were actually released from prison, or their scheduled and actual execution dates. The policy extends to notifying victims if inmates die for other reasons, such as illness.

Whereas previously the public prosecutor’s office only notified victims and their families of inmates’ deaths in certain cases, it will now notify victims of execution dates and provide them with documents in every case.