Japan's system of administrative litigation -- which allows citizens to file complaints against actions taken by the central and local governments -- leaves much to be desired. Statistics show that 15 percent of complainants are rejected for lack of qualifications and other reasons, and that only 13 percent of those accepted manage to win their cases.
These figures are highly discouraging. It is as if fighting public authority in court is an exercise in futility. There is something wrong with a litigation system that discourages citizens from filing suits and, worse, brings most complainants little or no redress. Legal action may not always be the best means of correcting mistaken policies and measures, but that does not belittle the value of this system.
First, the court of law should be used more often as the place to settle public-private disputes over whether administrative errors have been made. To that end, bold reforms should be made in the interest of the people, not the government. The basic need is to facilitate litigation by making the system more receptive to complaints.