A judicial reform panel of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party called Thursday for the introduction of "mixed courts," a system adopted in a number of European countries to promote public participation in legal proceedings.
Under the system, judges and ordinary citizens make decisions on matters of fact, law and sentencing.
In the same report, the panel said that it doubts Japan is ready for a jury system but did call for a substantial increase in the number of legal professionals and the establishment of law schools to better educate them.