Law in Everyday Japan : Sex, Sumo, Suicide, and Statutes

law in everyday japan : sex, sumo, suicide, and statutes

Law in Everyday Japan : Sex, Sumo, Suicide, and Statutes

Editorial Reviews
Review
Nina C. Ayoub Chronicle of Higher Education :

"A blend of fieldwork, rational-choice theory, and statistical analysis, [West] traces the interplay of law, norms, and behavior through quirky case studies of rent-by-the-hour `love hotels;' the business hierarchies of sumo wrestling; Japan's high rates of debt-related suicide; complaints by the karaoke-deafened against neighboring residents or bars; repair disputes among condominium owners before and after the 1995 Kobe earthquake; and, indeed, Japanese-style lost and found."-Nina C. Ayoub, Chronicle of Higher Education

Frank K. Upham Frank K. Upham :

"This book is a potential blockbuster in the field of Japanese law. Mark West attacks several obscure but sexy topics to help explain the many ways that culture and society mix with law in Japan. The result of a massive amount of original research, it is also written in an entertaining and engaging way."--Frank K. Upham, New York University School of Law

J. Mark Ramseyer J. Mark Ramseyer :

"Mark West has made a name for himself by applying economic analysis to a wide range of Japanese phenomena. In this book, he argues that law structures everyday Japanese interactions in a variety of unanticipated ways. Through several non-obvious but delightfully juicy case studies, he reveals the many colorful ways that law affects day-to-day life in Japan."--J. Mark Ramseyer, Harvard Law School

Donal Richie Japan Times :

"Mark West . . . shows how Japanese are as rational as anyone in responding to carrots and sticks. This is a stimulating book on how the law influences everyday life in subtle and unexpected ways. His lucid explanations of the complex interplay between law and social norms playfully takes readers on a tour of love hotels, sumo stables and karaoke pubs, while also shedding light on Japanese traits such as honesty and diligence. . . . It iis a fun read and where else can you find the history of love hotels?"--Donald Richie, Japan Times

Jeff Kingston Japan Times :

"This is a superb book that explores the interaction of law society and culture over a range of intriguing topics. In seven captivating case studies, Mark West shows how law influences people's behavior and perceptions in everyday situations. Rather than trumping law, social norms are powerfully shaped by it. We learn that Japanese respond to incentives and penalties in ways very similar to people in other societies. Readers who savor a unique and mystified Japan steeped in timeless customs are in from a jarring shock to their assumptions. . . . By choosing themes off the beaten track of legal analysis, West demonstrates that even the quirkiest phenomena can be analyzed. . . . And he does so in a delightfully engaging manner."-Jeff Kingston, Japan Times

Book Description
Lawsuits are rare events in most people's lives. And high-stakes cases are even less commonplace. Why is it, then, that scholarship concerning the Japanese legal system has focused almost exclusively on big topics like corporate law and large-scale social issues? Mark D. West's Law in Everyday Japan fills a void in our understanding of the relationship between law and social life in Japan by shifting the focus to cases most representative of everyday Japanese life.

Compiling case studies based on seven fascinating themes--karaoke-based noise complaints, sumo wrestling, love hotels, post-Kobe earthquake condominium reconstruction, lost-and-found outcomes, working hours, and debt-induced suicide--Law in Everyday Japan offers a vibrant portrait of the way law intermingles with social norms, historically ingrained ideas, and cultural mores in Japan. Each example is informed by extensive fieldwork. West interviews the participants--from judges and lawyers to defendants, plaintiffs, and their families--to uncover an everyday Japan where law matters, albeit in very unexpected ways.

Law in Everyday Japan : Sex, Sumo, Suicide, and Statutes,Mark D. West,University Of Chicago Press,0226894037,Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice,Asia - Japan,Japan,Jurisprudence,Law,Law and economics,Legal Reference / Law Profession,Legal System,Reference,Sociological jurisprudence,Law / General

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