On February 17, 2006, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) held a public meeting against the legislation to criminalize conspiracy and to require practicing attorneys to be gatekeepers, having 250 participants. Many Diet members also participated in the meeting and strongly voiced their objections against the legislation.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Yoshiharu Kawabata, the Deputy Chairperson of the JFBA Committee on Gatekeeper Issues, said that it is the most fundamental mission for practicing attorneys to protect interests of clients. "If a system is introduced that requires practicing attorneys to be agents for investigating authorities and betray their clients, the democratic justice and the democratic nation will collapse. I ask citizens as well as bar associations to raise objections to this legislation so that citizens keep having confidence in practicing attorneys when they have legal consultation," he said.

"Once the Diet resumes the discussion of these bills, it might immediately pass them," Mr. Yukio Yamashita, a member of the JFBA Working Group on Legislation for Criminalization of Conspiracy, told his perspective to the discussion in this ordinary Diet session. He spoke out that he would strive to prevent the bills from being enacted.

Diet members who participated in the meeting also voiced their objections to the legislation. "It is necessary to make people understood the issues on the criminalization of conspiracy and the gatekeeper, expecting that they would raise their objections to the legislation," Mr. Hideo Hiraoka, a Lower House member of the Democratic Party of Japan, said. "There is no necessity for the legislation," Mr. Sohei Nihi, an Upper House member of the Japanese Communist Party, said. "Regarding the issues on the gatekeeper, we need to name them more understandable for people," Ms. Mizuho Fukushima, an Upper House member of the Social Democratic Party, suggested. All these opinions were seeking support from citizens for further strengthening the JFBA's campaign.

In addition, Mr. Takao Saito, a journalist, Mr. Tatsuya Mori, a film director, and Professor Keiichi Muraoka at Hitotsubashi University, clearly explained each problem on the issues and the participants agreed with a round of applause.

Mr. Eiichi Watanabe, a JFBA Vice President, announced in his closing remarks that prior to this meeting, the JFBA Governors, etc. visited the Diet Members' Office Building and lobbied over 300 Diet members to oppose to the legislation on the gatekeeper.