IBC Legal Webinar Series

Jun 21

Practical advice on Japanese law related to business, Covid-19, and more

By Jeffrey Jackson

The Chubu chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) has long had a reputation for promoting and supporting entrepreneurs as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. The ACCJ-Chubu Independent Business Committee (IBC), in particular, has served as the vehicle for this support, providing a platform for business-minded individuals and companies to network and grow their operations in the Chubu region and elsewhere.

The event addressed the topic of labor law in relation to Covid-19.

As part of its mission to support the business community, the Chubu IBC has begun a series of legal webinars specifically tailored for business owners and managers in Japan. The aim is twofold:

To fill a growing demand for seminars offering practical advice on Japanese law
To respond to the growing uncertainty surrounding legal issues and questions related to the pandemic

Early Sessions

I presented the first webinar in the Chubu IBC Legal Webinar Series on December 9 in my capacity as a Japanese gyoseishoshi and co-chair of the Chubu IBC, and my committee co-chair, George Van Horn, moderated. The session, which attracted a lively group of attendees and included more than 20 minutes of free-form Q&A, addressed revisions to the Japanese Civil Code from early last year that impact business owners and managers—specifically changes to the rules governing:

Unlimited guarantees
General contract terms and conditions
Interest rates for late payments

Changes to statutes of limitations on claims for unpaid debts and receivables were also discussed.

The second webinar was held on April 5 and delivered by Masanori Tanabe, a Japanese bengoshi and vice-chair of the Chubu IBC, and I served as moderator. This latest event addressed the topic of labor law in relation to Covid-19 and covered remote-work options, salaries and salary adjustments, and layoffs resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. Once again, an engaged group of attendees were able to ask questions during the three Q&A sessions built into the program.

Reception

So far, feedback has been very positive, with the vast majority of attendees praising the quality of the programming and the speakers, as well as the value for the money. Building on that momentum, the Chubu IBC is planning to present additional webinars as part of the series and hopes to attract an even larger number of attendees for its future events. Topics under consideration include:

Small-business mergers and acquisitions with a focus on how to sell a private, unlisted company (including finding buyers, valuation, tax matters, and doing the deal)
Future Covid-related changes to Japanese immigration law and enforcement

The precise timing of these events has not been determined, but we hope to host additional webinars quarterly over the course of this year and possibly into early 2022.

The Chubu IBC is continuously looking for ways to engage more members, respond to their needs, and support our membership and the business community at large. The committee invites you all to join us for one or more of the events and look forward to developing and expanding the series.