Japanese Law (2nd Series) — Book Review

Book Title:

Japanese Law (International Library of Essays in Law and Legal Theory) (2nd Series) (Hardcover)
by J. Mark Ramseyer (Editor)

Editorial Reviews:

Book Description

In this introduction to Japanese law, J. Mark Ramseyer and Minoru Nakazato combine an economic approach with a clear and often amusing account of the law itself to challenge commonly held ideas about the law. Arguing against such things as the assumption that Japanese law differs from law in the United States and the idea that law plays only a trivial role in Japan or is culturally determined, this book will be recognized as a major contribution to the understanding of Japanese law.

“A compelling economic analysis… This book remains one of the few concerning Japanese law that successfully brings to life the legal culture of Japan.” – Bonnie L. Dixon, New York Law Journal

Card catalog description

In this clear and very readable introduction to Japanese law, J. Mark Ramseyer and Minoru Nakazato employ an economic approach to challenge commonly held ideas about the Japanese legal system. While many studies assume that Japanese law differs fundamentally from the law in the United States, this work shows the essential similarity between the two. Arguing against the idea that law plays only a trivial role in Japan or is culturally determined, the authors demonstrate that standard economic models go far to explain why Japanese law has the shape it does.