Lectures on Japanese Law from a Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This is a textbook on Japanese law. The author, Luis Pedriza, is a Spaniard who has resided in Japan for well over a decade and earned his doctorate at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Law, where he studied constitutional law. Pedriza, who taught English-language courses in Japanese constitutional law and comparative law for three years as an associate professor at Osaka University’s School of Law, has drawn on that experience in writing this book, which is designed so that each chapter can be covered in a single class session. Japanese legal terminology is presented in both Japanese characters and romaji, a convenient feature for students of Japanese law who want to search the text for a specific term. This book’s most distinctive feature is its presentation of historical context in order to facilitate a sound grasp of Japanese law. It begins with a detailed review of the history of Japanese law, from ancient times through the Middle Ages and on through the Meiji Era, before moving on to discuss the post-Meiji compilation of the legal code and the development of legal institutions. It is designed to equip students with an understanding of individual institutions and interpretations of laws by tracing the historical context from which the legal code and legal system arose. As a compact textbook offering a detailed introduction to the history of Japanese law, this book is in a class of its own.