Compliance

A collection of 188 posts
Slide summarising ASBP risks from Japan’s invoice system: lost input-tax credits, unfair 10 % price-cut demands, coercive registration, Subcontract Act overlap, and compliance checklist.
Competition / Antitrust Law

Japan's Antitrust Update: Navigating the Invoice System and Abuse of Superior Bargaining Position

TL;DR Japan’s new Qualified Invoice System makes purchases from tax-exempt SMEs costlier for taxable buyers. Demanding automatic 10 % price cuts or coercing suppliers to register as taxable businesses may breach the Antimonopoly Act’s “Abuse of Superior Bargaining Position” (ASBP) rules—and, for smaller subcontractors, the Subcontract Act.
9 min read
Slide summarising Japan’s Worker Dispatch Act: definition of dispatch vs service contract, three-year limits, equal-pay rules, Article 40-6 deemed-employment risk, and compliance checklist.
Labor & Employment Law

Understanding Japan's Worker Dispatch Act: Compliance Risks and Best Practices for Foreign Companies

TL;DR Japan’s Worker Dispatch Act imposes licensing, three-year tenure caps, equal-pay rules and a potent “deemed employment offer” sanction for illegal dispatch or disguised contracting. Foreign companies must structure outsourcing and temp-staff use carefully—tracking tenure, avoiding direct instruction, verifying agency licenses and aligning pay—to prevent automatic
10 min read
Slide summarising Japan’s outside-director reforms
Corporate Governance

Japan's Evolving Corporate Governance: The Role and Impact of Outside Directors

TL;DR Japan has steadily tightened board-independence requirements—culminating in Prime-Market firms needing ≥1/3 independent outside directors. For global businesses, understanding the legal definitions of “outside” and “independent,” the empirical limits of board-monitoring, and the practical due-diligence points is critical to assessing Japanese subsidiaries and partners. Table of Contents
10 min read
Slide outlining Japan’s civil-procedure “digital shift”: mandatory e-filing, remote hearings, electronic records, phased rollout to FY2025, and impacts on global businesses.
Civil Procedure

Navigating the Digital Shift: Key Changes to Japan's Code of Civil Procedure for International Businesses

TL;DR Japan’s 2022 civil-procedure amendments launch a sweeping “digital shift”: mandatory e-filing for lawyers, remote hearings via web conference, and full electronic case records. Phased through FY2025, the reforms promise faster, more accessible litigation but demand new tech readiness and data-security measures from international businesses. Table of Contents
9 min read
Slide summarizing Japan's evolving corporate governance: reform pillars, board independence, ESG integration, and key implications for U.S. investors in the Japanese market.
Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance in Japan: Adapting to Global Standards and Local Realities

TL;DR Japan’s corporate governance has shifted from insular boards and cross-shareholdings toward globally aligned practices under the Corporate Governance Code and Stewardship Code. Key trends include greater board independence, rising ESG oversight and stronger shareholder activism. U.S. investors and businesses must grasp board structure options, “comply-or-explain” realities,
8 min read
Flowchart showing IP allocation options in a Japan–US joint R&D agreement
Intellectual Property Law

Partnering for Innovation: Key Legal Considerations for Joint R&D Agreements in Japan

TL;DR Joint R&D agreements with Japanese partners require careful attention to intellectual property ownership, especially regarding the consent requirements for licensing jointly-owned patents under Japanese law. Key considerations include clearly defining background and foreground IP, structuring ownership to avoid joint ownership complications, understanding university IP policies, and
9 min read