FAQ Archives - Page 35 of 93 - Ohara & Furukawa

March 15, 2017

How much initial capital should a Japanese corporation have?

When establishing a company in Japan it is necessary for the founders to make an initial investment of money into the company’s account. This money will ideally be used as capital for the inevitable costs associated with setting up a business, such as renting office space, purchasing supplies and paying salaries. While there is no legally defined minimum amount of initial investment, applications for companies without proper financing will be looked upon poorly.

March 13, 2017

Does an invention have to be “highly advanced” in order to be granted a patent?

The Patent Act requires that an invention be novel, inventive and “highly advanced” in order to receive a patent. While “highly advanced” may sound like a very high bar for inventions to meet, generally it is considered as less important than the novelty and inventiveness requirements.

March 10, 2017

What happens when both parties to an accident in Japan were negligent?

Situations can arise where the negligence of one party is compounded by the negligence of the other party. Courts will take this factor into consideration when determining the amount of damages to be awarded and who is responsible for paying. The damages for negligence might be split between the two responsible parties or, in some cases, both parties might be liable for the full amount of damages.

March 8, 2017

What is a “bankruptcy estate” in Japan?

When a debtor files for bankruptcy the court needs a way to organize all of the debtor’s belongings so that they can easily be divided up among the creditors. Courts will do this by categorizing all of the debtor’s assets in what is called a “bankruptcy estate.”