Java is pass-by-value. How could you modify the language to introduce passing by reference (or some equivalent behavior)?
Take for example something like
<
Answering you question about how to extend the language my pick would be: - Using various holders technics as several other answers describe - Use annotations to attach metadata regarding which arguments should be passed by reference and then start juggling with a byte code manipulation library, like cglib in order to fulfil your ideas in byte code itself.
Though this whole idea seems strange.