Labor tribunal judge

The judge who sits on a labor tribunal (労働審判委員会) beside its two labor tribunal members (労働審判員), designated by the district court (地方裁判所) from among its own judges (Labor Tribunal Act, Articles 7 and 8). The labor tribunal judge directs the proceedings (Article 13) and sets the dates of the hearings and summons the people concerned in the case (Article 14, paragraph (1)); the tribunal itself decides by a majority of its three members' opinions (Article 12, paragraph (1)).