Agovernment forum on nurturing law professionals — judges, public prosecutors and lawyers — has started discussions. It is scheduled to come up with proposals by the end of this month on the question of whether the scholarship system for trainees at the Supreme Court's Legal Training and Research Institute should be continued. Those who have passed the bar exam join the institute to become law professionals.

The forum, headed by Mr. Takeshi Sasaki, former president of the University of Tokyo, includes legal experts, representatives of labor and business organizations, and senior vice ministers from the Justice Ministry, the education ministry, the internal affairs ministry and the trade and industry ministry.

Discussions by the forum are open to the public, except when bar exam content is being considered.