The reform of the judicial system, which is the most important problem the judiciary is now faced with, has also progressed steadily in the field of the criminal justice system. A part of the Act for Partial Amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure, etc. (Act No. 62 of 2004; hereinafter referred to as the "Amended Code of Criminal Procedure, etc."), which aims to introduce various measures for enhancement and speeding-up of criminal trials, was put into force, and the Act on Participation of Saiban-ins in Criminal Trials (Act No. 63 of 2004; hereinafter referred to as the "Saiban-in Act"), which aims to introduce the Saiban-in system (meaning the system where Saiban-ins selected from the general public get involved in criminal proceedings together with judges; hereinafter the same) is to be fully enforced by May 2009.
  In this Chapter, we will firstly present an introduction to the outline and progress of the reform of the judicial system in the field of the criminal justice system (enhancement and speeding-up of criminal trials, development of the court-appointed defense counsel system, amendment of the Act on the Committees for the Inquest of Prosecution, enforcement of the Comprehensive Legal Aid Services Act, and introduction of the Saiban-in system), and then examine problems in implementing the Saiban-in system and work on how to develop a favorable environment.