This is the title of my chapter written late last year for the 2nd edition of Matthias Reimann and Reinhard Zimmermann (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law (OUP, 2018). It substitutes for, but respectfully builds on several aspects of, the Japan-focused chapter in the Oxford Handook’s first edition by the late Prof Zentaro Kitagawa entitled “Development of Comparative Law in East Asia”.
Below I reproduce introductory Part I and the Table of Contents for my chapter manuscript, a version of which will be presented with ENS-Lyon Prof Beatrice Jazulot as an ANJeL Visitor in early July 2018, at the biannual Asian Studies Association of Australia conference hosted by USydney. Then I reproduce useful references on comparative law generally in Japan, from pp177-81 of Baum/Nottage/Rheuben/Thier, Japanese Business Law in Western Languages: An Annotated Selective Bibliography (Hein, 2nd ed 2013).
Japan has a long and successful history of carefully investigating and adapting foreign laws to build up its own legal system. In addition, Japan has also exported its law, through colonisation in North Asia in the first half of the 20th century, and through legal technical assistance especially in Southeast Asia since the 21st century (as explained further in Part II). Comparative law research continues to be a cornerstone for most law reform projects in Japan, with academics playing significant roles, although law reform processes have become more complex especially over the last two decades (Part III).
Japanese law has also impacted on comparative lawyers from abroad, beginning from the 1960s when Japan’s economy boomed, and continuing from the 1990s as economic stagnation engendered a raft of law reforms. This has generated a sophisticated comparative law literature and practice for Japan (as outlined in Part IV). In turn, methodological insights have also influenced contemporary comparative law research into other Asian legal systems.
Despite the strong tradition of comparative law within Japan, reinforced by innovative approaches developed as outside observers have sought to compare Japanese law, challenges arise particularly for comparative law studies within Japan. The main concern is persistent pressure on legal academia despite – or perhaps because of – major reforms to Japan’s legal education system introduced in 2004, and linked to an ambitious justice system reform program (Part V).
I. Introduction
II. History Matters
1. Importing Foreign and Comparative Law into Japan
2. Exporting Japanese Law
III. Comparative Law in Action in Contemporary Japan
1. Consumer and Civil Law Amendments
2. Gradual Transformation in Corporate Law and Practice
3. Justice System Reform
IV. Comparing and Assessing Japanese Law
1. Five Theories of Law: From Civil Dispute Resolution Studies
2. Five Methodological Lessons: From Corporate Governance Studies
V. Conclusions and Implications
Selective Bibliography
Useful references from pp177-81 of Baum/Nottage/Rheuben/Thier, Japanese Business Law in Western Languages: An Annotated Selective Bibliography (Hein, 2nd ed 2013).
2. Comparative Law, Uniform Law
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