ABSTRACT
The Commercial Code covers general matters, such as trade names and commercial registration, as well as company law, commercial transactions and maritime commerce. Japanese company law is found primarily in the Commercial Code 1899. The first Japanese Commercial Code was introduced in 1890 and represented a combination of French and German laws. However, the system of company law is based on the Commercial Code of 1899, which was modelled more on the German Commercial Code of 1897. Japanese company law is a distinct hybrid of German civil law and US corporate law concepts, influenced by Japanese societal and cultural forces. Japanese law is, therefore, primarily a codified system, supplemented by case-law. Regulation of corporate law in Japan is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice, acting through its Local Legal Affairs Bureaus. In carrying out their regulatory functions, Japanese administrative agencies rely to a considerable degree on unofficial administrative guidance in addition to legislation and subordinate regulations.
