- The Judicial System Reform
Council (Chairman: Professor Koji Sato of Kyoto University) released
its interim report today. RENGO is represented in the Council by Mr.
Takagi, RENGO Vice President, who has actively participated in the
Council with the basic opinion of the judicial system that is used
and participated by the people.
- The interim report describes
the basic position making the soul and the rule of law "the form
of this country" and recognizing a judicial officer as "the
doctor on national social life" and shows the fundamental idea
and direction of a judicial system reform aiming at the breakaway
from small administration of justice. Moreover, main points of reform
include 1) establishment of human base, 2) establishment of institutional
base, and 3) establishment of the people. In a more concrete target,
it proposes the establishment of "law graduate schools"
aiming at reserving 3,000 new judicial officers per year at the earliest
stage. It also proposes a study on the new system to the people's
participation in administration of justice, taking into consideration
of the jury system and the people participation system abroad. It
can be estimated as a step toward a judicial system reform of the
national participation that put the jury or the people participation
system into the view from a traditional tripartite legal circle.
- Furthermore, RENGO expects
the Council:
To specify the deadline of the increase of 3,000 judicial officers;
To specify the composition and term of reference of the third person
evaluation mechanism in the Law Graduate Schools;
To point out the problem of a career judge system and establish a
structure to ensure that a judge has various and rich knowledge and
experience as a lawyer;
To draw a concrete conclusion about the introduction of jury and the
people participation system to improve the participation of the people
in legal procedures; and
To start a significant discussion on a new system of settling industrial
disputes.
- RENGO has asked for expansion
of judicial officer population, examination of judicial officer unification,
introduction of jury and the people participation system, reform of
a lawyer system, installation of a labor court, etc. It expects raising
the concrete plan that deserves the name of a radical judicial system
reform.
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