Understanding Japan’s Civil Code for Business

The Japanese legal system is deeply rooted in its Civil Code (Minpō), the foundational body of private law that governs contracts, obligations, property, and torts. For any international business operating in Japan, mastery of this Code is not merely academic—it is essential for litigation strategy and robust risk management, particularly following the comprehensive 2020 reforms to the Law of Obligations. This program provides senior management, legal counsel, and compliance officers with a deep, analytical understanding of how the Civil Code dictates business practice. We dissect crucial chapters, focusing on General Provisions (principles of good faith and trust, abuse of rights), Real Rights (rules for possession and transfer of property), and the modern law of Obligations. Key modules will analyze contract formation (absence of consideration requirement), statutory interest rates (the new floating 3% rate), and liability for non-performance. Participants will gain critical knowledge on post-2020 legal shifts, including the move from "latent defects" to liability for "non-conformity to the contract" in sales and services, and the new rules governing guarantees and the assignment of claims/receivables. You will learn to draft and negotiate contracts in alignment with Japanese courts’ interpretation of the Code, proactively mitigating litigation risk and ensuring your corporate activities are built on the unshakable foundation of Japan’s private law.