As a counterproposal to calls from judicial authorities to revise the Juvenile Law, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations will propose giving youth crime suspects the right to have prosecutors participate in their family court hearings, it was learned Wednesday.
According to an early draft of the group's proposals, still under debate by lawyer associations nationwide, juvenile suspects who are at least 16 years old will be able to choose between two systems -- the current one, which does not include prosecutors in the proceedings, or one envisioned by the group that would allows prosecutors to participate under certain conditions.
Prosecutors participating in the hearings should specialize in juvenile cases, the draft says. In exchange for allowing prosecutors into the hearings, juvenile suspects will be guaranteed due process, including the right to counter-argue and restrictions on additional investigations deemed disadvantageous to the accused after hearings start, it adds.