Despite the swirling pros and cons, legislation to revise the Juvenile Law for the first time in more than 50 years is expected to be enacted next week.
Opponents such as the Japan Federation of Bar Associations claim that toughening the rehabilitation-oriented law -- as intended by ruling coalition legislators -- will undermine the existing corrective mechanism under the auspices of family courts.
It will deprive juvenile offenders of an opportunity to turn over a new leaf, they maintain.