SoSe 25: Courts and Judges in Japan
Welcome on the website of the course
Courts and Judges in Japan
by Professor Moritz Bälz
Summer term 2025
Preliminary meeting: Wednesday, 05 February, 14 Uhr c.t. in RuW 2.101
Course description
Courts and their most important personnel, judges, play a key role in realizing justice. This also applies to Japan, even if there is remarkably little litigation in Japan by international standards. Japanese courts, particularly the Supreme Court, enjoy a reputation for interpreting their role cautiously and exercising pronounced judicial self-restraint, especially vis-à-vis the legislature. Recently, however, an increasing number of examples could indicate a more activist attitude, if not a general tendency for change.
The seminar looks broadly at courts and judges in Japan from a comparative perspective. The aim is to better understand what role Japanese courts play in Japanese law and society, what institutional and other factors are effective in this respect, and what general trends can be identified.
Japanese language skills or prior knowledge of Japanese law are no prerequisite (albeit, of course, highly welcome). Two introductory sessions and a certain amount of reading assignments will provide a foundation for student presentations and papers. Active participation is expected from all participants.
Overall teaching plan
This all-English seminar will be taught in an intensive format with two 90-minute introductory sessions preceding the final block session to help participants acquire the necessary background for their research:
- 5 February 2025, 2:15-3:45 PM, in room RuW 2.101, preparatory session for a quick overview of the seminar and an introduction to possible research topics. Students are assigned the topics for their oral presentations and subsequent written papers (please think of three preferences).
- 24 April 2025, 6:15-7:45 PM , and 8 May 2025, 6:15-7:45 PM, in room RuW 2.101 pre-sessions providing a general introduction to courts and judges in Japan.
- 27 to 29 June 2025, 10:00 am (s.t. = sharp) to 6:00 pm, in room RuW 2.101 block session with individual student presentations (subsequently to be transformed into written papers).
Requirements for Receiving Credit
Law students can take this course as a seminar in the concentration (Schwerpunkt) Internationalisierung und Europäisierung. In addition, the course counts as a course in foreign legal terminology (fremdsprachige Rechtskenntnisse). Please, note that a participant who has been assigned an individual research topic is considered formally registered ( verbindlich angemeldet ), unless he or she cancels the registration via email to baelz@jur.uni-frankfurt.de by 30 April at the latest.
Grading will be based:
- 1/3 on the oral performance (presentation of 15- 20 minutes (2/9) and participation in class discussions (1/9)) and
- 2/3 on the written paper (15-20 pages excl. references etc.). The deadline for submitting the written papers is 31 August 2025 (searchable pdf by email to baelz@jur.uni-frankfurt.de plus upload to e-center).
Students from Modern East Asian Studies (MEAS) can take the course as an elective. Requirements for receiving credit and grading standards are the same as those specified above. Registration for the course is completed by selecting an individual topic.
Exam registration with the Examination Office (PGKS) via QIS is required. Exam registration: 23.06.2025 - 24.08.2025 (via QIS). Withdrawal from exam registration: until 24.08.2025 (via QIS).
The deadline for the submission of the term paper: 31 August 2025 by email to baelz@jur.uni-frankfurt.de (second attempt: 30 September 2025) (no upload to e-center is required to meet the deadline, but a check for plagiarism or improper AI use will be carried out). Regarding formalities, MEAS students can follow the standards they are accustomed to from other MEAS courses. Please note, however, that in papers on legal topics, references should refer to specific pages (not entire books or articles).
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Text-generating AI (such as ChatGPT, DeepSeek, etc.) is an tool within the meaning of the study and examination regulations. Therefore, text passages obtained using text-generating AI must be marked with a footnote. Furthermore, an appendix with the questions (prompts) used, as well as the corresponding answers, must be attached to the paper. The footnotes must refer to the corresponding appendices.
Even when the use of AI is correctly indicated, it can reduce or even eliminate the independence of academic achievement and thus lead to a devaluation in the grading process.
Updates on the Course
Please make sure to sign up to this OLAT course with a valid email address in order to receive updates on the course.