News from the Centre of Expertise on Japan

Prof. Yuko Nishitani is this year's winner of the Philipp Franz von Siebold Prize for Japanese scholars. The jurist will spend the research time associated with the award at the Max Planck Institute for Private Law, continuing her close and long-standing association with the Hamburg Institute. more

Julius Weitzdörfer, former Research Assistant at the Centre of Expertise on Japan at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, has accepted a post at the FernUniversität in Hagen (University of Hagen). His appointment as Junior Professor took effect on 1 September 2020; officially in the field of East Asian law with an emphasis on Japanese law. more

The lead article of ZJapanR 49/2020 examines the current status of Japan vis-à-vis comparative law in Europe and outlines the many intriguing activities being undertaken in the field. Thereafter, a number of authors analyse the different legal institutions existing at the intersection of traditional structures, social change and legal reform. more

On 31 May 2020, Prof. Dr. Harald Baum is retiring from the Institute and, effective 1 June, will be passing on leadership of the Centre of Expertise on Japan to Ruth Effinowicz, Institute research fellow. more

In the recent special issue of the RabelsZ journal dedicated to the topic of “Academic Career Paths for Lawyers”, Prof. Dr. Harald Baum examines the academic career paths of lawyers in Japan. more

In June 2010, a major overhaul of consumer credit laws entered into force not only in Germany, but also in Japan. After decades of lax regulation, Japan cracked down on criminal developments in the field of consumer credit – a multi-billion-dollar industry that had, as a result of usury and terrifying collection practices, led to large-scale social issues, namely soaring over-indebtedness and many thousands of debt suicides. more

Under the heading Society 5.0, Japan has launched a government programme to tackle current and future economic and social challenges with the aid of digital technologies. But the ongoing digital transformation of society raises many new legal questions. In the latest issue of the Journal of Japanese Law (48/2019), co-edited by Prof. Dr. Harald Baum, numerous articles focus on these issues. more

The current issue of the Journal of Japanese Law features four contributions focusing on current developments in Japanese tax law. The issue also includes articles on reforms to the Japanese Corporate Governance Code and on harmonization in competition law. Prof. Dr. Harald Baum, head of the Institute’s Centre of Excellence for Japan, is one of the executive editors of J.Japan.L. more

A special issue of the Journal of Japanese Law edited by Prof. Dr. Harald Baum, project leader of the Centre of Expertise for Japan, together with Keizo Yamamoto and Yuko Nishitani comparatively examines the tension arising between modern legislation and the dual pillars of contractual freedom and personal responsibility. more

The Special Issue Number 11 of the Journal of Japanese Law takes aim at information and disclosure duties in Germany and Japan. Edited by Harald Baum, Marc Dernauer and Moritz Bälz, the volume offers a comprehensive comparative analysis of the role played by information duties in both jurisdictions. more

As recently as two decades ago, independent directors were oddities in Asia’s boardrooms. Today they are ubiquitous. The rise of the independent director in Asia is an issue of global consequence that has, until recently, largely been overlooked. more