Fall 2009 Course Schedule

U.S./Japanese Comparative Legal Systems (LAW-869-001)
CANCELLED

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Notices

Note: This course will be taught in 2009 by Visiting Professor Shiro Okubo of Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto Japan, a sister university of AU. Professor Okubo is a renowned expert in Japanese public law and has a wide understanding of comparative Japanese and US legal institutions.

Description

Japan is the third largest economy in the world, a crucial provider of international assistance globally, an important U.S. strategic ally, and a country with legal traditions dating back thousands of years. For these and other reasons, the student will learn in this course that Japan is an important and deeply interesting legal jurisdiction for study. In addition, Japan is undergoing a major reform of its legal system, with many new law schools, a new bar exam designed to produce more lawyers, and a new “citizen judge” process for serious criminal cases.

The course will begin with an overview of comparative law and provide an analytic basis for comparing U.S. and Japanese law. The Course will proceed with a review of the historical background of modern Japanese law and provide an understanding of historical role of law in Japanese society. The course will review major comparative areas of constitutional law, judicial review, criminal law and administrative law and, with the assistance of Japanese guest speakers, provide insights into current legal reforms, environmental issues, and corporate practice issues. The student will take away important insights on why understanding Japanese law remains crucial in international business, foreign affairs, and the comparative law of Asia.

Textbooks and Other Materials

The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.

First Class Readings

Not available at this time.