A Liberal Democratic Party panel on Wednesday approved a government proposal to ban prosecutors “in principle” from appealing a retrial order, restricting a right of prosecutors that has been criticized for prolonging procedures for those who may have been wrongly convicted to clear their names.

The approval paves the way for the revision — a top priority for the government — to be submitted to the current parliamentary session, which runs through July 17.

For the past 1½ months, LDP lawmakers and the Justice Ministry have been at odds over the revision of the retrial system under the criminal procedural law. The ministry, which oversees the Public Prosecutor’s Office, had wanted to retain the prosecutors’ right to appeal, while the LDP — siding with retrial victims — said it should be banned.

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