Cause Lawyering in Japan: Reflections on the Case Studies and Justice Reform

Each of the case studies presented in this volume is an important and fascinating story in its own right. Taken together, the case studies enrich our understanding of cause lawyering and the relationship between law and social change in Japan. Despite their rather disparate subjects, the studies dovetail exceptionally well. They show numerous commonalities in the use of law to further social causes, as well as some important differences. They reveal a truly impressive level of creativity in the use of law, and they disclose several common barriers to successful litigation to promote social causes in Japan. As discussed below, a number of recently introduced reforms seek to ameliorate some of those barriers. As these case studies so eloquently show, however, the goal of socially oriented litigation at times is not victory in the court battle itself, but rather victory in the court of public opinion. In short, although this book is entitled Going to Court to Change Japan, the courts are only one locus in a much broader battle.https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-chapters/1048/thumbnail.jp