Small Claims Court in Japan: Eligible Cases

What the Law Says

Japan does not have a separate 'small claims court' but a simplified small claims procedure within district courts, governed by Articles 368 to 379 of the Civil Procedure Act (Act No. 109 of 1996). This procedure applies exclusively to monetary claims not exceeding ¥1.4 million. It excludes claims for non-monetary relief (e.g., injunctions, declarations), family matters, labor disputes under the Labor Standards Act, and cases involving complex factual or legal issues requiring extensive evidence or expert testimony.

The small claims procedure is designed for speed and accessibility: hearings are typically concluded in one session, oral arguments are prioritized over written briefs, and judges may actively assist parties in clarifying claims (Civil Procedure Act Art. 372).

Importantly, this procedure is optional — even eligible claims may proceed under ordinary civil procedure if either party objects before the first hearing (Art. 368, Para. 2). Once designated as small claims, appeals are limited to petitions for rehearing on narrow grounds (e.g., fraud, procedural violation), not substantive review (Art. 379).

Statutory Text

A claim for payment of money not exceeding one million four hundred thousand yen may be brought under the small claims procedure.

— Civil Procedure Act, Art. 368, Para. 1

Statutory Text

The court may, upon hearing the parties, render a judgment without requiring formal pleadings or evidence submission procedures.

— Civil Procedure Act, Art. 372, Para. 1

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