A surge in private litigation cases, and a boom in corporate finance work, prompted by the “Big Bang” reforms of the late 1990s, is leading to a severe shortage of legal experts.

Yesterday, Japan’s Government sought to redress the balance with a two-pronged attack aimed at relaxing the qualification process and making the profession more attractive to graduate trainees. Japan’s Judicial Reform Council outlined plans to let universities set up law schools that could convert graduates from any academic discipline into prosecutors, solicitors and judges.

About 72 institutions boasting 550 academic staff have already applied and are expected to open for business in April 2004, which is the beginning of the Japanese academic year.

Between them, they will churn out about 6,000 converts a year. They will then sit a new version of the bar exam, which has also been reformed in an effort to swell the ranks of the lawyer army.

About 30,000 Japanese students gain law degrees every year, but only 200 go on to become qualified lawyers. The rest are lured away by big businesses such as Sony and Toshiba, which offer enough inducements to tempt all but the most committed trainees.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Japan’s biggest law firm, said: “We think it is a very good thing that the shortage of lawyers is finally being addressed ... Our only concern is that these new law schools come with a guarantee of the quality of education.”