of issues that need to be further studied, ranging from the legal aid system and increasing the number of legal professionals, to legal education reform. But the analysis is premissed on an increasingly complex, information-based, and global society; transparent rules and self-responsibility; and deregulation. Another report on civil justice reform is expected soon from the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren), and may have more immediate impact. Japan's corporate sector, much more exposed to competitive pressures in their own markets both domestically and increasingly abroad, continue to voice dissatisfaction with legal services provided by bengoshi . An October 1997 survey by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's leading financial newspaper, revealed that overall 25% of corporate respondents were dissatisfied with them, while another 16% had at least some complaints. About a third said bengoshi worked too slowly (32%), lacked business experience (32.6%), charged high fees on an unclear basis (34.9%), or were unable to handle properly large or international cases (Choy, 1998). Not surprisingly, Japanese companies are strengthening their in-house legal departments (Nikkei Weekly, 1997). Such developments should make bengoshi all the more aware of competitive pressures in the Japanese legal environment (see generally Kitagawa & Nottage, forthcoming). Indeed, the more progressive bengoshi as well as a number of other commentators refer precisely to a `latent' legal market, which could be opened - increasing the pie for all - by liberalising access to the market for providing legal services currently monopolised by bengoshi (e.g. Nasu, 1992). Already, significant inroads are being