• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.133-159
• /
• 2019

This paper reviews 2019 new arbitration rules of Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA). JCAA has amended its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and its Administrative Rules for UNCITRAL Arbitration. Also, it has introduced a new Interactive Arbitrations Rules. These new rules take effect from 1 January 2019. First, principal amendments of JCAA Commercial Arbitration Rules are such as arbitrator impartiality, tribunal secretaries, no dissenting opinions, expedited proceedings, arbitrator fees, administrative fees. Second, JCAA's new Interactive Arbitration Rules compel communication from the arbitral tribunal to the Parties and introduce a system of fixed compensation for arbitrators. Third, JCAA's Administrative Rules for UNCITRAL Arbitration are designed to provide the minimum essentials to allow the UNCITRAL Rules to be overseen by an institution. The only significant updates focus on arbitrator remuneration. This paper presents the intent and some implications of JACC's 2019 new rules for Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) arbitration rules. Also, it seeks to provide a meaningful discussion and improvement on the facilitating of arbitration system in Korea.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.55-85
• /
• 1998

Each of China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea is in international trade one of the major countries in Asia and has been influenced by the Chinese character culture and the Civil law system. All these countries have their own commercial dispute resolution system for international trade dispute and commercial arbitration mechanism in their countries. They are making their own effort to internationalize and improve their commercial arbitration system. Among these countries China enacted a new arbitration law already. At that time Chinese arbitration law was referred to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration for internationalization of Chinese commercial arbitration system. China also internationalized the panel of arbitrators by increasing the foreign arbitrators of the panel of arbitrators of CIETAC. These measures adopted by China will be the model of dispute resolution and the commercial arbitration system in other major countries in Asia.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.81-119
• /
• 2006

The parties in the trade can have full autonomy and can resolve disputes independently, impartially and without delay by selecting arbitration by agreement. Korea and Japan had revised their Arbitration Laws to incorporate as many provisions of the 1985 UNCITRAL Model Law as possible. Japan had amended its century-old arbitration law, becoming the 45th country to adopt the UNCITRAL Model Law on International commercial arbitration. New Arbitration Law was enacted as Law No.138 of 2003 and effective on March 1, 2004, is applicable to both national and international arbitration. Korea had amended its arbitration law on December 31, 1999 and its New Arbitration Law incorporates the most of the 1985 UNCITRAL Model Law as Japan. Arbitration must be popular in resolving international commercial disputes in Northeast Asian bloc in order to increase the volume of intra-trade in the Northeast Asian bloc. But in order for the parties to make use of arbitration in the bloc, the arbitration laws of nations in the bloc must have similarity and unification. As Korea and Japan playes important roles in the bloc, both nations's arbitration laws must be studied in view of similarity and difference to unify both nations' arbitration laws by way of showing an example. Therefore, this paper deals with both nations' arbitration laws in view of comparative law to unify their arbitration laws and Northeast Asian Nations' arbitration laws.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.185-212
• /
• 2013

In this paper, a conceptual model of legal culture based on Ehrlich's "living law" theory and Cole's social-cultural explanation can explain the low utilization rates of arbitration of Japan and the high utilization rates of arbitration in the United States, simultaneously. This model highlights the clash between social norms and legal provisions in Japan. Japan has developed a two-tiered system of dispute resolution. At the official level, Japanese people accept the legal system imposed by the outside world. But, at a deeper level, they utilize diverse forms of informal dispute resolution mechanisms, such as reconcilement and conciliation, reflecting their own social norms. In contrast, there is no conflict between social norms and legal provisions in United States. This study may show that there are distinctions between American-style arbitration and Japanese-style arbitration, reflecting their own respective social norms. The question of reconciliation between the American style of arbitration and the Japanese style of arbitration can be resolved by an international arbitrator.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.411-446
• /
• 1997

This paper reports the results of an experimental companson of the winning rates in arbitral awards between the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board and the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association, and analyzed the comparative advantages of KCAB in international arbitration compared with ICC. There are so many factors to analyze the level of internationalizaton and competitiveness in the arbitration. From the recent lituratures, arbitration experts reported and debated tremendous elements which is vital to have a competition in the international arbitration market. Arbitration factors such as fairness, reliability, awareness, extension, enforcement, inexpensiveness, closed and expedited proceedings, arbitrators, expert knowledge, service, arbitral award, etc. are very important to appraise the level of the globalization and competitiveness of arbitration organizations Using these factors, I appraised current level of the globalization and competitiveness of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, unique arbitration organization in South Korea. Next, we are able to compare the level of fairness using the concept of 'winning rate' All over the world, only several arbitration organizations published and opened their own arbitral awards even In anonymity. The Japanese arbitration institutions published it regularly as well as the Korean When compared with these two institutions' "winning rates". there is similiar tendency in favor of domestic corporations That is to say, the winning rates in domestic arbitration cases are greater than those in international arbitration cases. This embarks an implication of unequality, a part of unfairness, in these two countries' arbitration. Finally, an analysis was conducted between the statistics of KCAB and ICC, especially to the focus on the number of arbitration cases, arbitration tribunals, arbitration places, parties' nationalities. the types of contents, the amount of arbitration, arbitration costs. There are two meanings to keep in mind for advancement of Korean arbitration. One is to establish new strategy specializing in small amount arbitration less than US$200,000. The other is to rearrange the panel of arbitration, especially in increasing field of arbitration cases such as the disputes of license, technology transfer, patent, etc.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.61-91
• /
• 2005

It is well recognized that the availability of prompt, effective and economical means of dispute resolution is an important element in the orderly growth and encouragement of international trade and investment. Increasingly, ADR(Alternative Dispute Resolution) including arbitration and mediation, instead of litigation in national courts, has become the preferred means of resolving private international commercial disputes. Under the situation, efforts for settlement of trade and investment disputes by ADR have been made between Korea and China through trade and investment agreements and arbitration agreement. Judging from the importance of economic exchange between Korea and Qingdao including Shandong Province, The Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB) and The Qingdao Arbitration Commission(QAC) should strengthen mutual cooperation to develop efficient methods of resolving commercial disputes arising between the two countries and to assist parties in solving those disputes through conclusion of arbitral agreement. Recently, efforts for conclusion of a Korea-China-Japan Free Trade Agreement(FTA) received strong support at Korea-Japan and Korea-China Summit Meeting held on June and July, 2003 respectively. If the conclusion of FTA among the three countries would be realized, it would promote regional trade and investment, contributing to economic growth in the Northeast Asian region. Under the circumstances, the key arbitral institutions including KCAB and QAC should consider to take the initiative in setting up tentatively called ${\ulcorner}$Joint Arbitration Center for Northeast Asia${\lrcorner}$ for which the CAMCA of NAFTA will be the good example.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.121-143
• /
• 2001

Arbitration agreement is an agreement by the parties to submit to arbitration all or certain disputes which have arisen or which may arise between them in respect of defined legal relationship, whether contractual or not. Arbitration has become increasingly popular in settling international and domestic commercial disputes nowadays. The importance of arbitration agreement cannot be overemphasized. It is the most reasonable way to settle commercial disputes. There are two types in arbitration agreement. one is arbitration clause, the other is submission agreement. The arbitration agreement must be made in writing, in addition, other communication instruments shall be considered as effective arbitration agreement if they are properly documented. Over the past few decades, a considerable number of studies have been conducted on the legal property of arbitration agreement in Germany and Japan. Its legal property is aspect of substantial law contract. The basis of arbitration agreement is the principle of party autonomy. The important effect of arbitration agreement is to preclude jurisdiction from national court. The respondent shall raise a plea not later than when submitting his first defense on the merits of the action. As positive effect of arbitration agreement, the court must support the conduct of arbitral proceedings and arbitrator can be appointed upon request of a party.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.631-655
• /
• 2004

This study clearly shows that the commercial dispute management is very important for the enterprise and the national economy and the international commercial arbitration as a ADR needs to be activated to settle the trade dispute for the more in the Republic of Korea. The trade dispute has increased for more than thirty years from 1960s and the problem of the occurrence of trade dispute has been very serious in the Republic of Korea. In general, the annual average increase rate of trade dispute has been higher gradually to present and has been high more than the annual average increase rate of export from the 1960s. Also the annual average increase rate of trade dispute in R.O.K. in general high than the Japan and the Taiwan. Accordingly, the trade dispute has been the factor of weakening of international competitiveness. On the other hand, the occurrence of commercial dispute is apt to affect the enterprise and the national economy. It can be called as micro and macro effect. Also, it's analysed that all these problems occurred because of business quality of businessman than the quality problem of goods. Several improvements directions recommended are as follows according to the analyses above. The first, it's required that the consciousness level of commercial dispute management of businessman should be higher to prevent occurrence of commercial dispute and settle the dispute efficiently. The second, the government concerned had better fix policy to raise the standard of commercial dispute management since the trade dispute affects the enterprise and the national economy. And ADR institutions such as the KCAB cooperate with each other for the activation of ADR such as conciliation. The third, is's desirable that the KCAB should promote international commercial arbitration and activate the cooperation of international arbitration activity with other countries. The fourth, it's desirable that the system of Certified Dispute Manager(CDM) should be established to raise the standard of commercial dispute management and the trade order.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.217-248
• /
• 2018

This paper reviews the Supreme Court of Japan in Decision of December 12, 2017, 2016 (Kyo) 43 (2011) concerning arbitrator's duty of disclosure and reasonable investigation under the Japan Arbitration Act (Arbitration Act). The Supreme Court of Japan recently issued a precedential decision interpreting, for the first time, the arbitrator disclosure requirements of the Arbitration Act. Under Article 18(4) of the Arbitration Act, arbitrators have an ongoing obligation to disclose circumstances which may give rise to justifiable doubts as to their impartiality or independence. The Supreme Court held that Article 18(4) of the Arbitration Act - requiring arbitrators to disclose all "facts likely to give rise to doubts as to his/her impartiality or independence" - (1) is not satisfied by blanket disclosures or advance waivers of potential future conflicts, and (2) requires disclosure of facts both known to an arbitrator or "that can be normally ascertained by an investigation that is reasonably possible${\cdots}$" This new standard presents opportunities and challenges for enforcing arbitration awards in Japan, and suggests measures that both arbitrators and parties can use to protect their awards. Also, the Supreme Court's new standards for evaluating arbitrator conflict disclosures suggest some measures that both arbitrators and parties to arbitration in Japan can take to protect the enforceability of their awards. The key factual question posed by the Supreme Court's ruling was whether an arbitrator's conflicts check was reasonable. Maintaining records regarding a review of potential conflicts or any investigation provides a ready source of proof in case of a future challenge. The Supreme Court has spoken clearly that so-called advance waivers of potential conflicts are not effective under Japanese law. Instead, to the extent that potential conflicts arise during the course of arbitration, they should be specifically disclosed.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.25-46
• /
• 2010

In spite of great interest and recent innovation of the legislative system in the Arbitration and other Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) system, In Japan there have been only a few case in which International commercial dispute was settled through the Arbitration compared to other countries. However, we can easily expect that foreign arbitral awards which need to be recognized and enforced in Japan will gradually increase and this makes it very important for us to review the Japanese legislative system regarding recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. In this paper, I focused on the relations between applicable laws(including convention) regarding recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Japan and some issues concerning refusal of recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. Japan is a member state of several multilateral conventions concerning recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards including the New York Convention of 1958 and at least 20 bilateral agreements which include provisions in relate to the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Therefore there are some legal issues about the priority application between multilateral and bilateral agreements in relate to Article 7(1) of the New York Convention. In Japan, as I mentioned in this paper, there are incoherent opinions concerning this issue. To solve it substantially it would seem appropriate to build up concrete and explicit provisions concerning the application of priority between multilateral and bilateral agreements. On the other hand, in relate to the application between the New York Convention and National Law, it is necessary to take general approach regarding the priority application between Convention (Treaty) and National Law, considering the national application of conventions under the Constitutional System of each country. Among the grounds for non-recognition/enforcement, there are the ones that are decided under the law of the requested country, for instance, arbitrability and public policy. It would therefore be possible that some foreign arbitral awards would not be recognized in Japan especially relating to the arbitrability because its scope in Japan is not so large. Regarding the enforcement of awards annulled in their place of origin, some positive opinions in recent Japanese legal discussions, say that annulled awards should be enforced as a counter strategy of developed countries and judiciary discretion of the requested country would be needed. As mentioned in this paper, the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards is closely related to judicial policy of the requested country as the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgment is. Even though there existed uniform rules on recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards like the New York convention, each country has different internal legal status of conventions under its own Constitutional System and tends to interpret the provisions based in its own profit. Therefore, it is necessary to review, in the light of conflict of laws, the national legislative system including legal status of conventions of the requested countries concerning recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.