Contract Law In Japan

Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this practical analysis of the law of contracts in Japan covers every aspect of the subject – definition and classification of contracts, contractual liability, relation to the law of property, good faith, burden of proof, defects, penalty clauses, arbitration clauses, remedies in case of non-performance, damages, power of attorney, and much more. Lawyers who handle transnational contracts will appreciate the explanation of fundamental differences in terminology, application, and procedure from one legal system to another, as well as the international aspects of contract law. Throughout the book, the treatment emphasizes drafting considerations. An introduction in which contracts are defined and contrasted to torts, quasi-contracts, and property is followed by a discussion of the concepts of 'consideration' or 'cause' and other underlying principles of the formation of contract. Subsequent chapters cover the doctrines of 'relative effect', termination of contract, and remedies for non-performance. The second part of the book, recognizing the need to categorize an agreement as a specific contract in order to determine the rules which apply to it, describes the nature of agency, sale, lease, building contracts, and other types of contract. Facts are presented in such a way that readers who are unfamiliar with specific terms and concepts in varying contexts will fully grasp their meaning and significance. Its succinct yet scholarly nature, as well as the practical quality of the information it provides, make this book a valuable time-saving tool for business and legal professionals alike. Lawyers representing parties with interests in Japan will welcome this very useful guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its value in the study of comparative contract law.

Little has been written on Japanese contract law and anti-trust law in Western languages. This book describes the role of this law in protecting the distributor against unilateral terminations of distribution agreements. There have been significant pressures both to lower prices and restructure distribution channels in Japan which have strained many distribution agreements. This volume, based primarily on Japanese language legal material, not only involves a study of applicable black-letter law, but also a sociological study of its application in practice. Detailed analysis has been made in particular of famous legal termination cases during the 1990s in the Japanese luxury cosmetics distribution system which generated influential decisions by the higher courts and the Fair Trade Commission, providing new insights into whether or not there are distinct Japanese attitudes towards contracts.

Since the and‘lost decadeand’ of the nineties, the progress of Japanese administrative and economic reform has been intense. Although some early critics characterized the reforms as and‘window dressing, and’ it is becoming clearer that systemic reform has taken hold and the new Japanese economy is picking up. This deeply knowledgeable book provides a penetrating analysis and expert evaluation of matters of crucial concern to business lawyers including corporate governance, contract law, business liabilities, intellectual property, media, employment, taxation, investment, the legal profession, the judiciary, and much more as they are developing and intersecting in Japan today. In the course of the detailed presentation, the contributors touch on such details of interest to those doing business in Japan as the following: status of foreign lawyers; mergers and acquisitions and leveraged buyouts; grounds for terminating contracts; real estate transactions; antimonopoly law and licensing guidelines; IT and e-commerce law; managing, disciplining, and terminating employees; occupational safety and health; labor union law; corporation income taxation; government programs offering low cost finance; consumer protection laws; and litigation and alternative dispute resolution. One of the most valuable benefits of the contributors' approach is the keen insight offered into the tatemae (outward appearance) well known to frustrate and mislead foreigners in almost any dealings with the Japanese.