Executive Education Programme "Foundations of Japanese Law" - Relaunch January 2024

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The New Executive Education Programme

The executive education programme on Japanese law, one-of-a-kind in whole Europe, has been relaunched in January 2024. The FernUniversität in Hagen has been offering an executive education programme on Japan's legal system at the Institute of Japanese Law for 35 years. Now this programme is part of the Department of Japanese Law headed by ​​​​​​Jun.-Prof. Dr. Julius Weitzdörfer. Aiming at a successful restart, this programme has been fully updated in terms of content, supplemented with multimedia and interactive features. What is more, podcasts, videos, quizzes and live events, both online and in person, guarantee modernised didactics.

The programme, closing with a certificate, covers public law, including criminal law, as well as Japanese private law, and allows students to focus on individual areas of interest by choosing elective modules, such as labour law or company law. Enrolment is possible at any time; as introductory offer reduced tuition fees apply until 31 December 2024.

The new executive education programme is notable for the following advantages:

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  • Updated and expanded study materials with the latest case law and legislation, including Japanese criminal law for the first time
  • Degree "Diploma of Advanced Studies" recognised by the Federal Ministry of Education in accordance with the German Qualifications Framework (DQR 7)
  • Full access to numerous legal databases
  • Interlibrary loan of approx. 6,000 volumes and 17 regularly subscribed Japanese journals from our extensive Japanese law library
  • Access to our network of experts and around 400 alumni worldwide as well as the right to participate in future exclusive study trips to Japan
  • Full flexibility in terms of location and time, start of programme at any time, even without knowledge of the Japanese language
  • Individual specialisation thanks to elective modules and selectable topic of the coursework

  • Japanese law studies are not a standard programme at German universities, although especially Japan's legal system can be an interesting field of activity for German lawyers. This is closely connected to its history of origins: The current Japanese law is the result of a differentiated process of reception that began after the Meiji Restoration (1868), in which the tradition and insights of modern Western law were merged into an independent system characterised by the Japanese perspective by means of comparative law. Even though German law played a significant role in this process, foreign law was by no means simply copied in Japan. These astonishing facts are still too little known.

    The study of Japanese law also makes sense for pragmatic reasons. Japan is the third strongest economic power in the world and accordingly has political weight on the international stage. As a gateway to the Asian markets, especially to China, Japan offers a significant advantage over all other countries in the region. As a reliable economic partner, Japan has a stable legal, social and political system that can be utilised to establish itself on the Japanese and Asian markets. A solid knowledge of the legal system is a key pillar of sustainable economic success.

    Our certificate programme was developed in cooperation with leading Japanologists and legal scholars from renowned Japanese universities and provides sound, systematic and practical knowledge in key areas of Japanese law. Understanding is facilitated by comparisons with German law, emphasising significant similarities, differences and peculiarities of both legal systems. By including historical, social, political and economic background information, the Japanese understanding of law and insights into the functions of institutions and specific regulations in the Japanese legal system are also conveyed.

  • Upon successful completion of the programme, you will be awarded a university certificate with 40 credit points of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This is recognised as a "Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS)" in accordance with the German Qualifications Framework (DQR 7) by the Federal Ministry of Education, Germany. The completion of additional elective modules can be included in your certificate with 10 ECTS credits each.

    The standard period of study for the part-time executive education programme is two semesters. The programme consists of three basic modules as well as an online or online and in-person final seminar covering all modules. Elective modules can be taken on top of that.

    After completing the basic modules, students can take the final seminar covering all modules each semester (10 ECTS). This involves writing a final coursework about a (self-chosen) topic and giving a presentation about its contents as part of a hybrid final seminar.

  • The following basic modules must be completed:

    Module 0: Methodological Approach (10 ECTS)

    Programme unit CL - Introduction to Comparative Law

    Module 1: Public Law (10 ECTS)​​​​​​​

    Programme unit J1 - Japan: Society, Politics and Economy - Prof. Dr. Ulrike Nennstiel (Hokusei Gakuen University) / Prof. Dr. Werner Pascha (Emeritiert Universität Duisburg-Essen) / Dr. Jan-Martin Wilhelm

    Programme unit J2 - Historical background of the private and constitutional legal system - Prof. Dr. Junichi Murakami (Emeritiert University of Tōkyō) / Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritiert Dōshisha University)

    Programme unit J3 - Judicial system in the past and present - Prof. Dr. Masasuke Ishibe / Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University)

    Programme unit J4 - Constitutional Law I: State Organisation Law - Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University) / Prof. Tomoaki Kurishima (Saitama University)

    Programme unit J5 - Constitutional Law II: Fundamental Rights - Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University) / Prof. Tomoaki Kurishima (Saitama University)

    Programme unit J6 - Criminal Law - Prof. Dr. Dr. Keiichi Yamanaka (Kansai University)

    Module 2: Private Law (10 ECTS)​​​​​​​

    Programme unit J7 - Private Law I: Overview - Prof. Kunihiro Nakata (Ryukoku University)

    Programme unit J8 - Private Law II: General Part of the Japanese Civil Code - Prof. Tamotsu Isomura (Kōbe University) / Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University)

    Programme unit J8 - Private Law II: General Part of the Japanese Civil Code - Prof. Koji Tanaka (Chiba University) / Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Zentaro Kitagawa (Emeritiert Nagoya Meijō-University Nagoya)

    Programme unit J10 - Private Law IV: Contract Law Special Part - Prof. Hiroshi Takahashi (Kōbe University) / Prof. Koji Tanaka (Chiba University)

    Programme unit J11 - Private Law V: Property Law - Prof. Katsuyuki Wada (Kyōto University) / Prof. Masaaki Yasunaga (Kōbe University) / Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University)

    Seminar (10 ECTS)

    The following optional modules can also be completed:

    Elective module 3: Specialisation in private law (10 ECTS)​​​​​​​

    Programme unit J12 - Family Law - Prof. Dr. Yu Kamitani / Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Marutschke (Emeritus Dōshisha University)

    Elective module 4: Specialisation in labour law (10 ECTS)

    Elective module 5: Specialisation in commercial and corporate law (10 ECTS)

  • The modules mentioned above are thematically and chronologically self-contained. This organisational principle allows you to structure your studies in a clear and flexible manner and thus adapt the duration of your studies, the study times and, above all, the distribution of your workload to suit your individual needs. All modules of this executive education programme are offered continuously and are tailored to ensure that they can be successfully completed within one semester. However, you are not restricted to semester times and can start and complete a module at any time.

    At the centre of the programme are detailed and well-founded materials in German, which have been co-designed by renowned Japanese lawyers. The course materials (PDF files) are supplemented by podcasts, videos, literature references, translations of laws, etc. The files are made available exclusively via the Internet. Accessible files and printed course materials are in preparation.

    The range of interactive learning content, such as multiple-choice tests, also helps to loosen up the material and gives you the opportunity to test yourself. In addition, the department offers individual academic support through video consultations, online lectures and subject-related career counselling. Regular information on public (online) events on Japanese law completes the service.

  • Students enjoy exclusive access to extensive resources on Japanese law, even from afar:

    • free access to numerous legal databases of the FernUniversität (including BeckOnline, Juris, CrossAsia and the Japanese TKC Law Library as well as the online offerings of numerous specialised publishers such as Springer and Mohr-Siebeck and ​​​​​​many more)
    • Remote loan of 6,000 volumes from our Japanese law library (the most extensive freely available collection on Japanese law in Europe)
    • Access to 17 regularly subscribed Japanese-language journals (list of subscribed journals)

  • We provide you with access to our international network of over a dozen Japanese law professors, i.e. authors of our course books, over 400 alumni and several guest speakers every year. Our current team of eight under the leadership of Jun. Prof. Dr Julius Weitzdörfer LL.B. Dipl. Jur. M.A. (Cantab), who joined the FernUni from Harvard in 2020 and took over as head of the Department of Japanese Law, is always available to advise and support you.

    Our guest lectures, seminars, symposia, regulars' tables and discussion events, which take place almost every month, provide an opportunity for exchange. As an enrolled student, you can either attend in person at our campus centres (University of Hagen campus centres) or online via livestream. It’s also possible to access the recordings afterwards.

    Since the travel restrictions to Japan have been lifted, we are preparing to once again organise law study trips to Japan , just as we have done in the past: These are scheduled to include visits to the National Diet, the Supreme Court, Tōkyō District Court, Fuchū Prison and Kyōto Police Station. To this end a faculty partnership with the Dōshisha Law School Kyōto was concluded in June 2024.

  • This programme is aimed at anyone who has a particular interest in Japanese law, either professionally or privately. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not required. Our students include lawyers and trainee lawyers, legal advisors, company executives, Japanologists, interpreters and translators as well as university graduates from other disciplines.

  • The executive education programme "Basics of Japanese Law" is open to anyone who

    • has successfully completed a university degree (at a university or university of applied sciences) or
    • has acquired the necessary aptitude through profession (completed vocational training and employment in a relevant profession, e.g. judicial clerk, foreign language clerk, foreign trade clerk, interpreter, labour market services clerk, notary clerk, patent clerk, legal clerk, social security clerk, tax clerk, administrative clerk).

    The required professional aptitude is verified at the time of enrolment by the registrar’s office and in cases of doubt is decided by the academic leadership. Information on this can be obtained by e-mail at japanrecht. The examination regulations mentioned below apply.

  • The standard fee for the executive education programme is EUR 2,000.00 (payment in instalments possible). This includes access to the three basic modules, including taking the final module examinations as well as support and participation in the final seminar for up to five semesters. If you need more time for your studies after the end of the five semesters, additional fees of EUR 150.00 will be charged for each additional semester.

    To mark the relaunch of this programme, we are offering a reduced price of EUR 1,500.00 until 31 December 2024 (payment in instalments possible). For students who have successfully completed seminar 55311 of the Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme at the FernUniversität in Hagen, the fees for the three basic modules of the continuing education programme are reduced by a quarter.

    If you would also like to take one of the elective modules, fees of EUR 500.00 will be charged for each module. You can re-register for an additional semester free of charge for each elective module you have taken. If you have already taken this executive education programme in the past, you can resume your studies at this price by taking one or more elective modules at no additional cost and receive a new certificate.

    Reductions and crediting options for alumni will also be available for our upcoming programmes on Korean and Taiwanese law.

Downloads (in German)

Learning Environment of the Programme (in German)

18.12.2024