Ohara & Furukawa, Author at Ohara & Furukawa

December 23, 2016

Does a wife have the responsibility to pay off a debt that her husband created?

Married couples in Japan are responsible for sharing expenses related to the marriage. Specifically, if one spouse signs a contract with a third party regarding everyday household matters (such as a cleaning service) then the other spouse will also be a responsible party under this contract unless there is prior notice given that he or she will not assume any liability under the agreement. However, this sharing of costs for household necessities and daily expenses does not extend to liability incurred in other areas not related to the marriage. For example, barring some special circumstance, a wife will not be […]

December 21, 2016

How are points awarded for a highly skilled professional under Japan’s immigration system?

Under Japan’s new point-based immigration preference system, points are given to highly-skilled foreigners for a variety of accomplishments. For example, points can be awarded for having a doctorate, years of work experience, Japanese fluency, high salary and published papers among other things. Accumulating over 70 points allows the highly-skilled foreigner to qualify for special immigration preference.

December 19, 2016

Are International Commerce Terms (Incoterms) used in Japan?

International Commerce Terms (or Incoterms as they are often called) are a set of pre-defined commercial terms that are commonly used in international contracts between businesses. Many of the terms are three letter abbreviations that appear as common clauses in commercial contracts. Japanese business that rely on import or export of goods will regularly include these standard terms in agreements with foreign buyers or suppliers.

December 16, 2016

What is a Company Auditor in Japan?

When forming a corporation in Japan, especially a company with multiple directors on its board, it is not unusual to have the shareholders appoint a company auditor as well. The company auditor system is relatively unique to Japan and is rarely seen in corporate legal systems in America or Europe. However, the position of company auditor has a long history in Japan and therefore has been incorporated into the modern Company Act.