Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda attended the Ceremony Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Enforcement of the Conciliation System and the 60th Anniversary of the Japan Federation of Conciliation Associations held in Tokyo.

The Prime Minister said in his congratulatory address,

"The conciliation system, which forms a part of the judicial system of Japan, has been making it possible for numerous civil and family disputes to be resolved since its enforcement, and is winning the people's strong confidence today as a superior system for resolving disputes. This has been achieved primarily due to the dedicated efforts of conciliation committee members and relevant personnel who are in charge of the operation of conciliation for establishing the system as a judicial system for the people, which I truly appreciate.
In the field of justice, the saiban-in (lay judge) system, wherein the general public participate in the judicial procedure, has now been introduced to reflect the perspectives and sense of the general public. The conciliation system, which started more than 80 years before the saiban-in system, is precisely the forerunner of public participation in the judicial procedure, and is expected by the people to make further development as the means for resolving complicated and varied disputes.
It is truly significant that the conciliation system reached the milestone of its 90th anniversary under such situation. I would like to expect that conciliation committee members and relevant personnel throughout the nation will further exert their efforts in the improvement and development of this system, and I will close my address by wishing for further development of the Japan Federation of Conciliation Associations, on its 60th anniversary."