The Japanese parliament has enacted the first comprehensive economic security legislation to enhance Japan's national security from an economic activities perspective, especially focusing on sensitive industry sectors such as...more
5/17/2022
/ Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Innovative Technology ,
Japan ,
National Security ,
New Legislation ,
Patent Applications ,
R&D ,
Rare Earth Metals ,
Research and Development ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain
Amendment to the Civil Code Will Come Into Effect in April -
On April 1, 2020, the Act to Partially Amend the Civil Code ("Amendment") will come into effect, with some exceptions. The Amendment will fundamentally change...more
Corporate Governance -
Companies Act Amendments to Enhance Corporate Governance - The Companies Act of Japan was amended on December 4, 2019 ("Amended Companies Act"), based on the Interim Proposal and the Outline...more
1/16/2020
/ Acquisitions ,
Companies Act ,
Controlled Foreign Corporations ,
Corporate Bonds ,
Corporate Governance ,
Executive Compensation ,
Foreign Investment ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Japan ,
Legislative Amendments ,
Life Sciences ,
Shareholder Meetings ,
Shareholders ,
Subsidiaries
Projects and Infrastructure -
Ministry Releases Draft Basic Policies for IR Act -
On September 4, 2019, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism ("MLIT") released a draft Basic Policy ("Basic...more
10/30/2019
/ Anti-Monopoly ,
Competition ,
Draft Guidance ,
Infrastructure ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Japan ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Land Developers ,
Public Comment ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Treaty ,
Tourism
Corporate -
Japanese Government Issues M&A Guidelines -
On June 28, 2019, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued the "Fair M&A Guidelines: Enhancing Corporate Value and Protecting Shareholders'...more
Finance -
Amendment to the Payment Services Act Tightens Regulation of Crypto Assets -
The Payment Services Act ("PSA") and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act ("FIEA") were amended on May 31, 2019...more
6/28/2019
/ BEPS ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (FIEA) ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
International Tax Issues ,
Investors ,
Japan ,
New Regulations ,
OECD ,
Virtual Currency
Japanese Cabinet Submits Bill to Amend Antimonopoly Act to Diet -
On March 12, 2019, the Japanese Cabinet approved and submitted to the Diet a bill ("Bill") to amend the Act on Prohibition of Private Monopolization and...more
4/25/2019
/ Administrative Fines ,
Anti-Monopoly ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Attorney-Client Privilege ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Driverless Cars ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Japan ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Leniency Programs ,
Transportation Industry
Finance -
Cabinet Office Ordinance on Corporate Disclosure Requirements Amended -
On January 31, 2019, the Financial Services Agency of Japan published amendments to the Cabinet Office Ordinance on the Disclosure of...more
Global Disputes -
JCAA Establishes New "Interactive Arbitration Rules"
Effective January 1, 2019, the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association ("JCAA") modified the choices of rules available to the parties to an...more
3/6/2019
/ Arbitrators ,
Commercial Arbitration ,
Corporate Governance ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cybersecurity ,
International Arbitration ,
International Data Transfers ,
International Labor Laws ,
Japan ,
UNCITRAL ,
Water Supplies
Labor -
Amendment to Immigration Control Act Introduces New Visa Categories -
As of April 1, 2019, most provisions of the "Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act," which was amended in part on December 8,...more
2/4/2019
/ BEPS ,
Cybersecurity ,
Energy Sector ,
EU ,
Immigration Procedures ,
International Labor Laws ,
Japan ,
Natural Resources ,
OECD ,
Partnerships ,
Tax Reform ,
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Energy -
Proposed Revision to Japanese Renewable Energy Act Would Have Major Industry Impact -
On October 22, 2018, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy ("Agency") published an "Overview on Draft Ministerial...more
Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission Publishes Rules for Handling Personal Data Transferred from EU to Japan -
Following the agreement between Japan and the European Union regarding personal data protection...more
Supreme Court Decides Whether a Fixed Overtime Allowance is Considered Statutory Overtime Wages -
On July 19, 2018, in a case in which the parties litigated whether payment of a so-called fixed overtime allowance is...more
Japan Signs Economic Partnership Agreement with EU -
On July 17, 2018, Japan signed an Economic Partnership Agreement ("Japan-EU EPA") with the European Union ("EU"). Once the Japan-EU EPA is implemented, 99 percent of EU...more
9/4/2018
/ Anti-Bribery ,
Controlled Foreign Corporations ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Cybersecurity ,
Economic Partnership Agreements ,
EU ,
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ,
Healthcare ,
Japan ,
Personal Data ,
Public Procurement Policies ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
UK Brexit
Tokyo Stock Exchange Announces Revisions to Corporate Governance Code -
On June 1, 2018, the Tokyo Stock Exchange ("TSE") announced revisions ("Revisions") to the Corporate Governance Code ("CG Code"). The CG Code...more
7/27/2018
/ Acquisitions ,
Civil Code ,
Consumer Contracts ,
Corporate Governance ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Innovative Technology ,
Institutional Investors ,
Japan ,
Japan FSA ,
Mergers ,
METI ,
Shareholder Approval ,
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Japan's Supreme Court Issues First Decisions Interpreting Article 20 of the Labor Contract Act -
On June 1, 2018, in the Hamakyorex and Nagasawa-Unyu decisions, the Supreme Court (Second Petty Bench) interpreted Article...more
Intellectual Property -
JPO Launches its Advisory Opinion System to Determine Standard-Essential Patents -
On April 1, 2018, the Japan Patent Office ("JPO") began operation of an advisory opinion (hantei) system to...more
5/29/2018
/ Consumption Tax ,
Foreign Patent Applications ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
International Tax Issues ,
Invoices ,
Japan ,
JPO ,
Patent Applications ,
Patents ,
Tax Credits ,
Trans-Pacific Partnership ,
Wage and Hour ,
Working Conditions
Intellectual Property -
Cabinet Approves and Submits to the Diet the Bill to Partially Amend the Unfair Competition Prevention Act -
On February 27, 2018, the Japanese Cabinet approved and submitted to the Diet the...more
Corporate Governance -
Subcommittee Prepares Interim Proposal for Amendment to the Companies Act -
On February 14, 2018, the Companies Act (in relation to Corporate Governance, etc.) Sub-Committee of the Legislative...more
3/30/2018
/ Acquisitions ,
Companies Act ,
Controlled Foreign Corporations ,
Corporate Bonds ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Executive Compensation ,
Fast Track Process ,
Japan ,
Legislative Amendments ,
Shareholder Meetings ,
Shareholders ,
Subsidiaries
Disputes -
Supreme Court of Japan Overturns the Osaka High Court's Decision Setting Aside an Arbitral Award -
On December 12, 2017, the Supreme Court of Japan (Third Petty Bench) overturned the Osaka High Court's...more
2/28/2018
/ Amended Legislation ,
Arbitrators ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Duty to Disclose ,
Financial Markets ,
International Arbitration ,
Japan ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Registration Requirement ,
Stock Exchange ,
Supreme Court of Japan
Labor & Employment -
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Requests Employer Associations to Prepare for the Conversion Rule -
As April 1, 2018, will mark the fifth year since the "Rule on conversion of...more
12/4/2017
/ Big Data ,
Corporate Branding ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Emotional Distress Damages ,
Employment Contract ,
Financial Institutions ,
Fixed-Term Labor Contracts ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Internet of Things ,
Japan ,
JPO ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Sound Marks ,
Trademarks
Labor & Employment -
Outline of Japanese Legislation for the Promotion of Work Style Reform Held Reasonable -
On September 8, 2017, Japan's Labour Policy Council announced its opinion that the "Outline of Legislation...more
10/26/2017
/ Acquisitions ,
Controlling Stockholders ,
Exempt-Employees ,
FinTech ,
Japan ,
Japan FSA ,
Labor Policies ,
Mergers ,
Minority Shareholders ,
Shareholders ,
Wage and Hour ,
Working Conditions
Labor - Japanese Supreme Court Decision on Overtime Payments to Doctors - In a court case in which a doctor employed by a health care corporation sought extra pay for overtime and late-night work (collectively, "overtime"),...more
9/1/2017
/ Confidential Information ,
Employment Contract ,
Foreign Exchanges ,
Foreign Trade Regulations ,
International Labor Laws ,
Japan ,
Over-Time ,
Physicians ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Remand ,
Remuneration ,
Restricted Stocks ,
Reversal ,
Securities Transactions ,
Supreme Court of Japan
On June 7, 2017, Japan signed the "Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty-Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting" ("MLI"). The MLI is a part of the OECD/G20 base erosion and profit-shifting...more
The amendment to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act ("Amended FIEA") was enacted on May 17, 2017, and promulgated on May 24, 2017. The Amended FIEA will come into force no later than one year from the date of...more
6/29/2017
/ APIs ,
Banks ,
Civil Code ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (FIEA) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Foreign Exchanges ,
Foreign Trade Regulations ,
Investors ,
Japan ,
Joint Venture ,
Real Estate Investments