Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 15 - 21 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Dietmembers join legal trainees’ petition for reinstatement of scholarship program

Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers together with a group of young lawyers and legal trainees on October 14 made a representation to the Justice Ministry, demanding the reinstatement of the public scholarship program for legal trainees.

In November 2011, the government launched a loan program instead of maintaining the scholarship program which provided a monthly stipend to legal trainees to cover their living expenses during their one-year training period as they are prohibited from having a part-time job. Last year, the ban on part-time jobs was partly lifted.

In the representation, lawyer Hashimoto Yuki, deputy leader of the group, referred to the group’s questionnaire survey of legal apprentices who will end their training in December. He said that in the survey, the majority of the respondents called for the reinstatement of the scholarship program. Citing a decrease in legal trainees’ spending for food and book purchases, Hashimoto said, “Under the loan program, trainees are struggling to maintain their motivation. Such a system will lead to a deterioration in Japan’s legal system and a big loss for the general public.”

One legal apprentice talked about her friend who gave up becoming a legal professional because of the loan program.

JCP members of the House of Councilors Nihi Sohei and Daimon Mikishi both criticized the termination of the scholarship program for hindering legal trainees from concentrating their attention on the training.

A Justice Ministry official just showed sympathy for them by saying, “I understand your difficult situation.”


Past related articles:
> Legal trainees call for reinstatement of scholarship program [January 31, 2013]
> Japan bar association in rally demands continuation of scholarship program for legal trainees [July 8, 2011]
> Can only the rich be lawyers? [August 27, 2010]