Japanese Not Ready for New Jury System, Poll Says

Japan finally introduced a new "lay juror" system in late May, after a five-year campaign to advise citizens about the changes. In contrast to the United States, the new Japanese system requires three judges to sit on a jury and render a verdict along with six citizens. Despite a barrage of publicity -- including 500 mock trials and talks by American litigators -- a recent poll in Japan's largest newspaper showed that 79 percent of respondents do not want to serve as trial jurors themselves.