judicial system

December 18, 2017

How are Japanese Supreme Court Justices picked?

The Supreme Court of Japan is composed of one Chief Justice and fourteen Justices who are appointed by the Cabinet and approved by the Emperor.  Each of these Justices must stand for election after appointment and once every 10 years following, however no Justice has ever lost a reappointment election.  Supreme Court Justices must retire at the age of 70.
August 1, 2017

What types of cases do public prosecutors handle in Japan?

Public prosecutors in Japan handle a variety of cases but in general they are split between two types: violations of Japan’s penal code (criminal cases) and violations of traffic laws.  Statistically, the numbers of these cases are similar but criminal cases make up a small majority.
August 17, 2016

How is international jurisdiction acquired in Japan?

Jurisdiction is a critical component of civil litigation.  Whether a court has jurisdiction or not determines whether it can issue a binding court ruling to the parties.  There are two main ways Japanese courts can obtain international jurisdiction: either through international treaties or local Japanese laws.  In either case, it may also be necessary to conduct special service of process through the Hague Service Convention.
July 4, 2016

What is the notary system in Japan?

The notary system in Japan is an organization of state licensed notary agents who provide official certification for contracts and other legal matters.  By having a notary certify the signing of a contract, the issue of the executing the contract cannot be litigated in court as the notary’s certification removes all doubt that the parties signed the agreement in question.  In this way, the notary system reducing the number of contract disputes that end up in litigation.