OSAKA -- The Osaka District Court on Friday turned down an 11 million yen damages suit filed against the state by a former legal trainee who claimed the Supreme Court rejected his application to become a judge based on discrimination.

Judge Yoshihiko Sato of the Osaka court dismissed the argument of the plaintiff, Naoki Kamisaka, that he had been discriminated against because of his political beliefs and principles.

The judge said the top court's recruitment criteria that judges must be fair and neutral is "rational enough and not illegal."