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House of Representatives - Diet of Japan

The House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the Diet or parliament of Japan. Its website provides information on the function and current structure and organisation of the House. It includes some details of the Japanese legislative procedure. Also available is a list of current members of the chamber and some information about the relative strength of representation of the key political parties in the House. The site is available in English or Japanese.

Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training

The Japan Institute of Labour Policy and Training works under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour. It is engaged in the comprehensive research and study of labour problems.The Institute collects and classifies information and data both domestically and internationally. Another important role of the Japan Institute of Labour is to inform labour, management and the general public in order to deepen understanding and knowledge of labour problems.

J-PlatPat (Japan Platform for Patent Information)

Free searchable database with English interface providing information on Japanese patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks issued by the Japan Patent Office. Users can search a range of resources applicable to the different types of industrial property including applications, gazettes and bibliographies. A simple search option uses keyword or number searching and an advanced search provides additional parameters eg. date, classification etc. The site also has trial decisions and online help with using the database and the Japanese design classification scheme. 

Japanese environmental laws

Collection of online, environmental laws and regulations made freely available on the Japanese Ministry of the Environment website. The legislation is grouped under subject headings which include global environment, waste and recycling, environmental policy and air and transportation. The collection includes an outline of the Basic Environment Law. The majority of the laws are presented in HTML with a small number in PDF format. The site can be viewed in English or Japanese.

Supreme Court of Japan

Official website of the Supreme Court of Japan. The site includes an overview of the judicial system in Japan and a guide to judicial proceedings. A database of selected Supreme Court judgments is available, in English, from 1950 onwards. The site can be viewed in English and Japanese.

Cabinet Legislation Bureau

Website of the Japanese Cabinet Legislation Bureau, the government department that assists the Cabinet on legislative matters. The site provides information on the work of the Bureau including its role in providing legal advice and opinions to the Prime Minister and Cabinet and examining legislative bills, draft Cabinet orders and draft treaties. The site also gives an outline of the legislative process in Japan. The site can be viewed in English and Japanese.

Tokyo Bar Association

Website of the Tokyo Bar Association (also known as 'Toben') the largest local bar association in Japan. The site gives information about the work of the association and its committees. There is background information on how to qualify as a Bengoshi (Japanese barrister) and how foreign lawyers can practice in Japan. The site includes a glossary of terms relating to the Japanese legal profession and can be viewed in English and Japanese.

Asian Law Institute

Website of the Asian Law Institute (ASLI) which was set up in March 2003 to "facilitate academic exchanges as well as research and teaching collaboration among law schools in Asia". ASLI is based at the Faculty of Law of the National University of Singapore. The site gives details of the Board of Governors and Fellows of the Institute along with details of conferences and abstracts of seminars held at ASLI.

Free Patents Online

Free Patents Online (FPO) provides a searchable database of patent records. The site was established by patent searcher James Ryley and includes US and European patents and abstracts of Japanese patents. The database currently holds all patents published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since December 1976. Images can be viewed in PDF or TIFF formats. There is background information on patents and trademarks and help with using the database.

Constitution of Japan

The Constitution of Japan in English, provided by the International Constitutional Law (ICL) project at the University of Bern in Switzerland. The Constitution was adopted in 1946 and covers the Emperor, a renunciation of war, the rights and duties of the people, the Diet, the Cabinet, the judiciary, finance and local government. There are links to the Japan Supreme Court and the library of the National Diet. The site also has background notes and historical information relating to the Constitution.

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