The two governing coalition parties reached a final agreement Monday on a format for a new "citizen judge" system, deciding to place three professional and six lay judges on criminal trial panels, party lawmakers said.

The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito also agreed that in cases where the defendant admits to the allegations and both the prosecution and defense have no objection, the court can hold the trial with just one professional judge and four lay judges.

The coalition agreed that envisioned regulations on media reporting of trials will not be included in the judiciary reforms, taking into consideration the public's right to know and freedom of the press.

The government will begin compiling a bill introducing the lay judge system for submission to the Diet next month at the earliest.

The two parties had disagreed since December over the ratio of professional and lay judges in the new format, with the LDP suggesting three professional and about four lay judges, while New Komeito wanted two professionals and seven civilians.

A government task force to promote judicial reform had recommended the ratio of three professional to four lay judges.

Citizen judges would be introduced in trials for cases that could involve the death penalty or life imprisonment or in which a deliberate crime resulted in the death of a victim, according to a proposal for the system made in October.