In the field of law, Japan certainly cannot yet be said to be sufficiently open vis-a-vis other countries. In order to improve this situation, a law-and-ordinance translation group set up within the government’s Office for Promotion of Justice System Reform has unveiled a project to translate legislation into English, with priority given to basic laws such as the Civil Code.

At present, government ministries and agencies and private organizations engage in the translation of some legislation, but separately and without any consistency. The working group proposes, through government involvement, to formulate and unify the basic rules of translation, such as what terms and expressions should be used, to ensure that translations are both accurate and easy to understand.

The translation of laws and ordinances into foreign languages would facilitate international business and promote investment by foreign companies. It would also help support the establishment of legal systems in developing countries, especially those in Asia, introduce and increase knowledge of Japanese legislation in other countries, and familiarize foreign residents with life in Japan.

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