Donna Nelson: Perth woman accused of smuggling meth into Japan will learn her fate on Wednesday

From her prison cell in Japan, Perth woman Donna Nelson will learn her fate on Wednesday. Ms Nelson, 58, faced trial in Chiba, near Tokyo, after allegedly landing at Narita International Airport with two kilograms of meth in her luggage last year. The grandmother says she is innocent but prosecutors have asked to have her thrown in jail for 10 years. Ms Nelson told a panel of judges last month she had no idea drugs had been hidden in her luggage by a man she thought was her boyfriend. Former Japanese prosecutor turned top defence lawyer Yasuyuki Takai told 7NEWS Japan’s strict drug laws are rooted in culture and history, however, he said he has seen accused foreign smugglers acquitted before. “It doesn’t happen often, there has been a few but it’s not too rare,” he said. He said if Ms Nelson has convinced the judges she genuinely had no idea about the drugs they would have to acquit her. “In this case to get her conviction she would need to have known the suitcase had drugs,” Mr Takai said. A panel of three judges and six members of the public have now decided Ms Nelson’s fate and they will be back in court on Wednesday afternoon to share their decision. Regardless of Wednesday’s verdict, if either side appeals Ms Nelson will remain behind bars until that appeal can be heard, which can take up to a year. Appeals are heard by a higher court in Tokyo.