Eight years ago, Seiji Shimomura could only watch as his 2-year-old son Tomohito was crushed to death by crowds at a fireworks show in Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since, he has campaigned for high-ranking police officials to be indicted over their role in the matter.

"We want the truth to be judged in public by the court," Shimomura said in Akashi, where his son and 10 others died July 21, 2001. "Pursuing this can help to prevent this kind of incident happening again."

Prosecutors have three times refused to pursue the police chief and his deputy over the planning of the event. Now, they may have no choice. A law that took effect Thursday ends prosecutors' long-held control over indictments and hands it to a panel of 11 citizens, effectively a grand jury.