News from the Centre of Expertise on Japan

Reactions to Covid-19 in Japanese law and a comparative assessment vis-a-vis Germany serve as the starting point in Issue 51 of the Journal of Japanese Law. The latest edition of the periodical – co-published by the Institute – also explores the treatment of parodies in copyright law, legal liability for nuclear damages and administrative standing with a view to cremation practices. more

Since 1996 the ZJapanR/J.Japan.L. has been a central Western-language forum for academic exchange on Japanese law. With the release of Issue No. 50, Harald Baum, former head of the Centre of Expertise on Japan at the MPI for Private Law and founder of the Journal of Japanese Law, hands over editorial direction to his successor at the Institute, Ruth Effinowicz. more

In August 2020 the Centre of Expertise on Japan at the Max Planck Institute for Private Law, working in partnership with the DJJV, staged the academic event “Reactions to Corona in Japanese and German Law. A Virtual Conference in the Pandemic Era”. On 17 December 2020, a conference volume was published digitally. more

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