coursemapLoading course
ANU Law School · ANU College of Law
This unit aims to develop the general skills of comparative lawyers, to effectively and critically assess contemporary developments in the legal system of one of the world's largest economies. 'Law' comprises the rules and norms that any society creates to govern how its members should interact with one another. Societal factors provide context to the legal system, and vice versa. To properly examine any country's laws and legal system one needs to have at least some degree of understanding of the dynamics and values of that society. The purpose of this course is to provide a foundation for understanding the history, place and use of law in modern Japan. The course covers the history, structure, and fundamental substantive areas of Japanese law. It investigates and challenges some of the assumptions about the place of law in Japanese society, including legal history, judicial system, legal education, and the legal profession. There is some treatment of other aspects of Japan's legal society including litigation, foreigners, women, and minorities. The course then focuses on Japanese substantive law include the foundations and current topics in Japanese constitutional, criminal, contract, tort, and commercial law. The overarching theme of the course is the globalisation of Japanese law in a wide range of subject areas, including civil and criminal justice, gender and the law, public law and some aspects of business regulation. The particular focus of the course is on Japanese corporate and commercial law, analysing how that law both reflects and has transformed Japanese capitalist society in the 21st century. Students must apply to undertake this course. Please go to International Opportunities for application information.
Discussion postings, 600 words total (best 3 from 5)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Presentation, 15 minutes
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Short paper (to accompany presentation), 1000 words
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final paper, 2500 words
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 36 hours of face to face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours. - Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have three contact hours per week. Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course. Click here for the LLB Program course list Work Integrated Learning Fieldwork Students experience first-hand a unique opportunity to study Japanese law in a global and socio-economic context in Kyoto, Japan. The course develops the general skills of comparative lawyers, to provide students with advanced knowledge and perspectives to understand and critically assess contemporary developments in Japanese law and society, while engaging in field trips to the Kyoto District Court, the local bar association, and one outside legal institution to experience the law in practice. Other Information Enrolment is limited with selection based on a competitive process. Application information can be located on the ANU College of Law Website. Please note that submitting an application for the course and being accepted into the program does not actually mean you are enrolled officially in the course. After you have been accepted in the program, students are required to - lodge a separate application with Ritsumeikan Law School directly; and - enrol in the course once summer school enrolment has opened.
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Alternatively, this information will be published in the Program course list when known. Preliminary Reading Foote, Daniel H (ed.), Law in Japan: A Turning Point (University of Washington Press, 2007) (recommended)