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Courses

Columbia Law School was the first law school in the United States to offer courses in Japanese law.

 

Dome of the
Supreme Court of Japan

Photo credit: Alia Luria

Japanese Law and Legal Institutions   
Professor Curtis J. Milhaupt  

This course provides a critical introduction to the institutions and actors that comprise the Japanese legal system. Topics covered include the legal profession, formal and informal dispute resolution mechanisms, employment law, corporate law and governance, and economic regulation. Major theoretical debates about the role of law in Japan are examined in connection with each substantive topic. Throughout the course, law is placed within the context of Japanese social, political, and economic institutions. During the last several weeks of the semester, Visiting Professors from the University of Tokyo lead the class on topics related to their individual fields of expertise.

All class materials and instruction are in English; Japanese language ability and knowledge of Japan, while helpful, are not prerequisites. The grade for the course is based on a take-home examination and class performance.

 

Seminar: Advanced Research in Japanese Law
Taught by Japanese Lawyers as Professors from Practice

This pass/fail offering is designed to help students develop Japanese legal research skills. Students will learn how to conduct computerized and manual legal research on primary and secondary Japanese law sources and will prepare translations of selected documents. Research results and translations will be presented in class toward the end of the semester. THIS OFFERING IS ONLY OPEN TO STUDENTS ABLE TO READ JAPANESE PROFICIENTLY.