New Year’s Greeting for 2024|Visiting the New Kawasaki City Hall

New Year’s Greetings

Thank you very much for your support during the past year. We look forward to working with you again this year.

Promoting International Practice

At Sumikawa Law Office (Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture), all of our attorneys and staffs are able to communicate in English. Taking advantage of this, we will continue to provide support to our clients in Japan and abroad for legal services that require English language. In particular, we have received an increasing number of inquiries over the past few years regarding support for inheritance procedures in the U.S. In addition to providing support for individual cases in cooperation with attorneys in various states in the U.S., we plan to strengthen our information dissemination efforts.

We are also receiving an increasing number of inquiries from small and medium-sized companies regarding international contracts. We hope that companies that are about to start international transactions, as well as those that are already engaged in international transactions but have not yet received advice from an attorney, will consult with attorneys.

Promotion of SDGs

Our law firm will continue to actively develop initiatives for the SDGs this year.

In 2024, as part of our focus on gender equality, we will strengthen cooperation with lawyers from other firms and begin activities to train young and mid-career lawyers who can be candidates for outside directors in Kanagawa Prefecture. Sustainability, as set forth by the SDGs, is an extremely important theme for companies. In order to address this important issue, our firm aims to train lawyers who can support local companies in the future. We will work to ensure that attorneys with expertise in sustainability issues can address the challenges facing businesses and contribute to the sustainability of the entire region.

We will also continue to focus on creating a framework for supporting business succession in collaboration with other professionals in the region. If a company goes out of business at the same time as its representative retires, not only will the services provided cease, but the employees will also lose their jobs, which will have a significant impact on the local community. It is a critical issue for the community that companies plan and prepare for business succession at the earliest possible stage. If you have any concerns bout business succession, we encourage you to consult with an attorney in your area.

In addition, we will continue to support other activities to revitalize the local community, especially in Kawasaki City, where our firm is located, such as sponsoring local exchange activities and supporting a children’s cafeteria.


Tour of the New City Hall of Kawasaki City

At the end of last year, we toured the new Kawasaki City Hall, which was completed last year (2023). 25th floor observation deck is open to visitors free of charge. It is a different world that can be quickly ascended by elevator, and I felt more refreshed than I expected. If you haven’t been there yet, why not visit during the New Year when the air is clean?

Kawasaki City Website
https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/170/page/0000153797.html

Sumikawa Law Office is located across the street from the new Kawasaki City Hall (on the second floor of the Miyadai Building shown in the photo below). When you visit our office, consider taking 30 minutes and stop by the City Hall observation deck.

Kawasaki City Hall Observation Deck

Obtaining the Corporate Registration | Mitigating Risks in International Business Transactions with Japanese Companies

When receiving requests from international entities pertaining to debt collection and related matters, there are instances where the client lacks knowledge of the official name of the Japanese company involved in the transaction.

When engaging in business activities with a Japanese company, it is imperative to verify the corporate registration details. The corporate registry is accessible to the public, and a certified copy can be obtained through the Legal Affairs Bureau.

This registration encompasses crucial information such as the company’s head office address, as well as the name and address of its representative. Often, confirmation of the official company name necessitates referencing the corporate registration.

The existence of a valid corporate registration assures that the transaction’s counterparty is a legitimate entity, eliminating the risk of dealing with a fictitious counterpart. Additionally, knowledge of the representative’s address is gained through this process. As a preventive measure, it is advisable to request the counterparty to furnish a certified copy of the registration before finalizing any contractual agreements.

Even after starting an international transaction, it is recommended to obtain a copy of the company’s corporate registration if trouble is anticipated. Our firm can also obtain the corporate registration upon request.

New Year holidays| Japanese Law Firms

In Japan, many law firms take their year-end and New Year holidays in conjunction with the court holidays. The court holidays for the new year 2024 is from December 29 to January 3, , which is stipulated in Article 1, Paragraph 1, Item 3 of the law concerning court holidays.

However, since the second Monday of January is a national holiday (“Coming of Age Day”), some law firms take a slightly longer vacation and begin business on January 9.

Our office will be open from January 5th Friday (2024).

Practical Guide to Real Estate Transactions in Japan

Introduction: When dealing with real estate transactions in Japan, whether it’s buying, selling, we can assist you as your representative. Real estate dealings on foreign soil can be intricate, but our specialized services facilitate a smooth process.

1) Selecting the Right Real Estate Agent: Choose a trustworthy real estate agent. Our firm has an extensive network of reliable real estate experts in Japan. We can introduce you to agents, regardless of whether you’re buying or sellinga real estate.

The selection of a real estate agent is the most important factor in a real estate transaction. It is difficult for the general public to understand local regulations regarding real estate and its value relative to the surrounding market.

As in any other country, there are some bad agents, so you need to be careful, especially with income-producing properties that have high profit margins. Recently, we have seen investment damage where old properties are sold to unknowledgeable people for many times their original value. In some cases, vendors promise to guarantee rent through subleasing, but the vendors do not actually pay.

2) Legal Representation for Contract Signing: When it comes to signing contracts, a typical real estate transaction in Japan often involves first signing a contract and paying a deposit, and then settling the balance of the purchase price some time later (e.g., one month later). Therefore, the seller and buyer need to get together and meet twice, just at the time of signing the contract.

For some clients, it is difficult to travel to Japan just to sign a contract. In such cases, our qualified attorney can step in as your representative. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, we can review the legal aspects, and also sign the contract in place of you.

3) Expert Support for Post-Transaction Matters: Even after contract signing, there still are complexities of property registration and tax procedures. We’ll connect you with professionals fluent in English to ensure effective communication during these crucial stages.

Please Note: Property selection remains your responsibility. We urge you to engage in thorough discussions with real estate agents and make informed decisions aligned with your goals, as we do not provide guarantees.

Our office is located in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture (next to Tokyo). Therefore, in principle, our office can provide support for real estate transactions only in the vicinity of Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. For support in other areas, costs may be higher due to travel fees, etc.

Difference between original (GENPON), authenticated copy (SEIHON) and certified copy (TOUHON)| Notarized Wills in Japan

When you create a notarized will at a Japanese Notary Public’s office, the notary will prepare three types of wills: original document, authenticated copy, and certified copy. The differences are as follows

(1) Original document (GENPON)

The “original document” of a notarized will is the will signed and sealed by the testator, witnesses, interpreter, and notary respectively. This is the original document, and only one original exists in the world. The original is kept at the notary office and is not provided to the testator.

(2) Authenticated copy (SEIHON)

When a notarized will is prepared, the notary public prepares an “authenticated copy”, which has the same effect as the original, and provides it to the testator.

The authenticated copy will be used to execute the will, so if an executor has been designated, it would be smooth to hand over the authenticated copy to the executor.

If the authenticated copy is lost, it can be reissued at the notary public’s office.

(3) Certified copy (TOUHON)

The notary public also prepares a “certified copy” and provides it to the testator. A certified copy is also a copy of the original, but it does not have the same effect as the authenticated copy. A certified copy will not be accepted for procedures at financial institutions (cancellation of the accounts) or legal affairs bureaus (registration of the real estates).

For this reason, it is advisable to keep the above mentioned authenticated copy strictly so as not to lose it, and to check the certified copy when the need arises to confirm the contents of the will.

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