Elimination of Shortages/Uneven Distribution of Attorneys

There are 203 district/family court branch jurisdictions nationwide, and the jurisdictions with only one or no attorney are called “zero-one attorney districts.” In such districts, citizens and companies are forced to endure the inconvenience of not being able to even consult with an attorney or having to travel a long distance to receive consultations from an attorney in case of legal troubles.

The JFBA resolved in its 1996 General Meeting to address improving such circumstances. Subsequently, it has established legal consultation centers and public offices (Himawari Fund Law Offices) in such districts suffering from a shortage of attorneys in cooperation with local bar associations, regional federations of bar associations, and municipalities.*

Moreover, the JFBA provides financial support to attorneys who start practices in such districts, and it also secures staff attorneys who work at the Japan Legal Support Center (Houterasu). As a result, although there were 78 “zero-one attorney districts” in 1996, they were eliminated in 2008, and so were the “one-attorney districts” for the first time in 2011. Subsequently, however, there is one “one-attorney district” as of March 1, 2018.

The JFBA will continue with every effort to eliminate shortages/uneven distribution of attorneys based on the actual situation in each district.

*Since the establishment of such "Himawari Fund Law Offices” system, the number of this type of law office has reached 118 by the end of March 2018.