The teaching methods used by U.S. law schools will prove effective for Japanese institutions planning to open law schools in April, American professors said Friday.

Robert Reinstein, dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, told a seminar in Tokyo that law classes in the United States, after which the planned law schools here will be modeled, discuss cases and simulate trial sessions.

"The U.S. model has been proved to be effective and that is why this move is taking place in Japan," Reinstein remarked following the seminar on American legal education held in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

The professor added, however, that Japanese law school teachers must adapt American educational methods to fit the Japanese legal system and the nation's culture.

At the seminar organized by Temple University Law School, which has campuses in Philadelphia and Tokyo, Reinstein outlined a method known as legal reasoning and analysis.

This sees students read judicial opinions on past cases and learn important facts and legal issues that have led to judgments.

"We do this because we think that this method of teaching is a great method to make the students think about legal rules, how they developed, and (the method raises) their ability to analyze legal problems," Reinstein observed.

The seminar was aimed at introducing teaching methods and legal education programs to professors at Japanese law schools that are preparing to open in April.

During the event, Temple University professors demonstrated a method in which students are actively involved in judicial discussions.

They showed a TV drama focusing on a legal case and asked seminar participants various questions on the legal matters at issue.