Column 2 Judicial System Reform

In line with societal changes, it came to be considered necessary to reform the judicial system. Accordingly, the Act for Promotion of Judicial System Reform (Act No. 119 of 2001) was enacted in 2001 and the Promotion Plan for Judicial System Reform was established in 2002.

Based on the Plan, 24 Acts to promote judicial system reform were legislated by 2004, including the following:

• (i)The Act on the Expediting of Trials (Act No. 107 of 2003), which sets forth the objective of concluding the proceedings of the first instance within two years;
• (ii)The Comprehensive Legal Support Act (Act No. 74 of 2004), which established the Japan Legal Support Center to support the selection of court-appointed attorneys and assist victims;
• (iii)The Act Partially Amending the Code of Criminal Procedure, etc. (Act No. 62 of 2004), which introduced pretrial arrangement proceedings, expedited trial proceedings, court-appointed attorneys for suspects under detention, indictment based on a decision by the Committees for Inquest of Prosecution and other measures; and
• (iv)The Act on Criminal Trials with the Participation of Saiban-in (Act No. 63 of 2004), which introduced Saiban-in trials.