For more than 60 years since its last form of a jury system was suspended, Japan's courts have been the preserve of a largely unseen elite. Now, though, regular citizens are set to take part again too, and 'mock trials' like those popular in America may play a key role in preparing for this momentous social change
April ends and May begins in Japan with "Golden Week," when four national holidays grace the calendar and most of the country takes a vacation.
Far less well known is that May in Japan also starts with "Constitution Awareness Week," officially designated as such because May 3 (Constitution Day) was when the Constitution went into effect in 1947. Around that time every year, many local governments and those in legal circles mark the occasion by holding lectures and panel discussions to raise awareness of legal and constitutional issues.