A new poster at subway stations in Tokyo shows a smiling young woman confidently clutching her handbag along with the slogan: "About the time I turn 20, the courts will change. I guess both the law and the courts will become more familiar then."
That poster heralds the arrival, in 2009, of Japan's judge-and-jury system.
Until now, cases brought to court in Japan have been exclusively decided by professional judges. From 2009, however, a jury of six citizens and three professional judges will deliver verdicts and hand down sentences, marking a significant change in Japanese people's civic responsibilities.