Unconstitutionality of reciprocity requirement for recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Japan

• Author: Unconstitutionality of reciprocity requirement for recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Japan
• Pages: 159-170

FRONTIERS OF LAW IN CHINA

VOL. 13 JUNE 2018 NO. 2

DOI 10.3868/s050-007-018-0012-0

FOCUS

RECOGNITION AND ENFORCEMENT OF JUDGMENTS BETWEEN CHINA, JAPAN

AND SOUTH KOREA IN THE NEW ERA

UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF RECIPROCITY REQUIREMENT FOR RECOGNITION

AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS IN JAPAN

Yasuhiro OKUDA*

Abstract This article deals with reciprocity requirement for recognition of foreign

judgments in Japan. Following German law, Japanese law requires reciprocity to the

rendering state in addition to the jurisdiction of the state, the service of process, and the

compatibility with Japanese public policy. Although Japanese courts have rarely refused

the recognition of foreign judgments for lack of reciprocity for a long time, some

Chinese judgments recently have not been recognized for this reason. The author

clarifies first with historical review what was the purpose of the Japanese legislator,

when the original law of 1890 required the reciprocity by international treaties, and

when later the reform law of 1926 required the simple reciprocity that is similarly

provided in the current law. The author surveys then the Japanese case law concerning

the reciprocity requirement after the reform of 1926. The author focuses further on the

reciprocity between Japan and China and compares the Japanese practice with the

German one that led to a different result. Last, it is concluded that the reciprocity

requirement is contrary to the protection of human rights under Japanese constitution.

Keywords foreign judgment, reciprocity, Japan, China, Germany, human rights

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 160

I. HISTORICAL REVIEW............................................................................................... 160

II. CASE LAW IN JAPAN ............................................................................................... 162

III. RECIPROCITY TO CHINA........................................................................................ 164

IV. UNCONSTITUTIONALITY........................................................................................ 168

CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................ 170

* Yasuhiro OKUDA, Doctor of Laws, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan; Professor, Faculty of Law, Chuo

University, Tokyo, Japan. Contact: okuda@tamacc.chuo-u.ac.jp

This paper is based on the German article, Yasuhiro OKUDA, Verbürgung der Gegenseitigkeit als

verfassungswidrige Voraussetzung für die Anerkennung und Vollstreckung ausländischer Urteile in Japan, 42

ZJapanR/J.Japan.L. 61–73 (2016). The author is grateful to Miku KOIKE, lecturer at University of Toyama

for the first drafting.