Perth grandmother Donna Nelson will remain in a Japanese prison for the unforeseeable future, with her trial delayed just two days before it was due to start.
The prominent Indigenous community leader has already spent more than 18 months languishing in a Tokyo prison for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
That time in jail could reportedly extend to at least another six months, with proceedings possibly being postponed until then.
![Donna Nelson](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/85e674f837b516ebecc1904205a70816b7627751.jpg)
The West Australian understands the last-minute delay has been caused by the prosecution introducing new evidence on Monday.
This masthead on Friday revealed that the trial was set to start on Thursday, and the verdict was expected on July 11.
It is understood that some of Ms Nelson’s family was already making their way from Perth to Tokyo when the news about the trial delay broke.
“At this time, as a family, we are still trying to come to terms with the news of the trial delay’” Ms Nelson’s family said in a statement. “It’s deeply upsetting for us as her family, but we can’t even begin to imagine how devastating the news will be for our darling Mum.”
The 57-year-old Ballardong Njaki-Njaki woman was arrested at Narita Airport in Tokyo on January 4 last year after nearly 2kg of methamphetamine was allegedly found inside her suitcase.
The West broke the story that the former Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service chair had been detained in Japan for several weeks and was receiving consular assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
![Donna Nelson](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/d9a88461f767c7052e467443f6f6d0e5e45b9525.jpg)
Due to a communication ban, Ms Nelson’s family has not been able to contact her since the day of her arrest and is only updated on the case through her legal team in Japan and the Australian Embassy.
Only Ms Nelson’s legal team, a pastor, and embassy staff are allowed to visit her in prison.
Her family claims she was duped into delivering the drugs to Japan from Southeast Asia by a Nigerian man she met online.
Since being taken into custody, Ms Nelson has been subject to some of the strictest prison conditions in the world.
She is allowed out of her cell at Chiba Prison for just 30 minutes a day and can only shower once every three days.
Under Japanese law, importing illegal substances for the purpose of sale is the most serious drug crime in the country.
Ms Nelson now faces up to 20 years with The West in October, revealing she had not made a plea to her drug smuggling charges.
This is despite most defendants in Japan being found guilty. The country boasts a 99.9 per cent conviction rate, but more than 80 per cent of cases are not prosecuted.
![Donna Nelson](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/296638f17e823b9243af7bb6815c4c86e9a5e95a.jpg)
The Federal Government has provided The West with the same response to Ms Nelson’s case since her arrest.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Japan and to her family,” a spokeswoman said earlier this year.
“DFAT and the Australian Embassy in Tokyo are focused on ensuring her welfare. Consular officials have visited the individual on a number of occasions since her detention.”
Ms Nelson’s legal team has been contacted for comment.