That is how the 99% are expected to make progress on civil rights. Difference is, he's rich af; he can afford the best representation money can buy. While Japan's "hostage justice system" is certainly unfair to the accused, he wasn't suffering that commoner-treatment, he was on house arrest in an extremely comfortable house.
The hundreds of thousands of people imprisoned for marijuana in the US have to disagree with you. Their plight did nothing towards the cause. It's only different now in some states because the public has taken a chill pill about it.
Did I say that civil disobedience is even remotely reliable? Because it's not. And, not every violation of the law is civil disobedience. For that to be the case, the violation should be done with flagrant intent to get caught for the purpose of making a political statement. The risk of doing the time, and not making any progress, is significant.
Also note the uncertainty in my opening line, "if you're trying to frame this as civil disobedience." I don't believe that this guy's alleged corruption would fit the bill.