judicial system

Summary courts in Japan are the equivalent of small claims courts in America.  In general, these courts will only hear cases with a monetary value of 600,000 yen or less.  Cases brought in this court are intended to be smaller and less complex, which is reflected in the relatively low limit on the size of the claims and the simplified trial procedure. 

There are four levels to the Japanese judicial system. The lowest level courts are called Summary Courts, which hear small cases and are the most prevalent type of court in Japan.

High courts are located in eight major cities in Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo and Takamatsu. Parties who need to litigate in these courts, but live outside of these cities, need to commute to one of these courts or hire a local lawyer to bring their case. Unlike the single judge courts that hear lower level cases, cases in the high courts are heard by a three judge panel.

Family courts in Japan have jurisdiction to hear cases arising from disputes within a family. These might include cases relating to divorce, support payments or adoption.