Information

Please see the new page about criminal defense.
All the procedure will go on by Japanese language, and many of the interpreters are not very competent. So it is very important to get an English speaking criminal attorney / lawyer.
Criminal Defense in Japan

When you are involved in a car accident in Japan as the victim of the accident, you are likely to receive a contact from the insurance company of the other party (the driver).

The insurance company will offer you some compensation, but you should know that there are 3 types of “stanadrd”s.

(1) Mandatory Insurance (Jibaiseki Hoken) standard

The insurance company sometimes offers to the victim according to the “mandatory insurance” (Jibaiseki) standard. This is the minimum insurance forced by law.

(2) Voluntary Insurance (Nin-i Hoken) standard

When the driver has an additional insurance (voluntary insurance), the insurance company might increase the offer to the level of “voluntary insurance” standard , which is higer than (1), but lower than (3).

(3) Court standard

If the settlement cannot be made by (2), then the victim will have to file a lawsuit. The court will decide according to the “court standard”. This standard is higher than (2), and if you get a final court order about your damage, the court will also order the driver to pay 10% attorney fee and annual 5 % interest.

Negotiation with the insurance company

When you directly speak to the insurance company, they are likely to offer you (1) or (2) and say “this is the maximum”. If you want to claim what you are supposed to be paid, you will have to explain about your damage and claim it legally.

So it is very important to consult an attorney (lawyer) before making the settlement with the insurance company. When the attorney is involved, the insurance companies often change their offer to the amount which is closer to (3).

See also
Car Accident

Legal consultation on Saturday (once a month).

We usually charge 5,400 yen per 30 minutes, but the legal consultation on this opportunity is offered at 3,000 yen per 30 minutes.

Those people who can’t take time off work on weekdays or feel reluctant to seek legal advice are more than welcome for the Saturday legal consultation.

Our office is located in Kawasaki city, next to Tokyo and Yokohama.

Please make an appointment by the day before you visit our office for a consultation.

• Date: Saturday, 13th June 2015
• Time: 10:00am-5:00pm
• Fee: 3,000 yen per 30 minutes
• Practice Areas: Divorce, Car Accident, Inheritance, Labor Dispute, Corporate Law, Contracts, Bankruptcy, etc.
• Appointment: Prior appointment required (email or phone)

When you make an appointment, please provide the following information:

1. Your Name
2. Your Contact Number
3. Your preferred time (Multiple requests possible)
4. Your contact information
5. Brief description of your case

Then we will reply to you about the reservation.

email: web@smkw.biz
Contact Form

Legal consultation on Saturday (once a month).

We usually charge 5,400 yen per 30 minutes, but the legal consultation on this opportunity is offered at 3,000 yen per 30 minutes.

Those people who can’t take time off work on weekdays or feel reluctant to seek legal advice are more than welcome for the Saturday legal consultation.

Please make an appointment by the day before you visit our office for a consultation.

• Date: Saturday, 21st March 2015
• Time: 10:00am-5:00pm
• Fee: 3,000 yen per 30 minutes
• Practice Areas: Divorce, Car Accident, Inheritance, Labor Dispute, Corporate Law, Contracts, Bankruptcy, etc.
• Appointment: Prior appointment via email or phone necessary

When you make an appointment, please provide the following information:

1. Your Name
2. Your Contact Number
3. Your preferred time (Multiple requests possible)
4. Your contact information
5. Brief description of your case

Then we will reply to you about the reservation.

email: web@smkw.biz
Contact Form

As you probably know, Japanese Road Traffic Act mandates the use of a child safety seat by any child under 6 years old. However, according to a survey conducted in 2013 by the National Police Agency and Japan Automobile Federation, the rate of a child safety seat use is 60.2% and 2 out of 3 parents use a child safety seat the wrong way.

Some of the most common installation mistakes include;

1) The waist belt used to position the child safety seat is too loose
If the child safety seat moves 3 centimeters or more by pulling the upper edge of it, the belt needs to be fastened more tightly.

2) The child safety seat is not well-fitted to a child’s body shape
Make sure the seat is selected based on your child’s body shape and size, not age.

3) The harness is not in the right place
Make sure the harness is correctly positioned according to the instructions.

4) The child safety seat is missing parts because it’s a hand-me-down
The seat with missing parts will lead to incorrect installation and cause a major accident.

The best thing to avoid the above installation mistakes is to follow product instructions. Even if your child safety seat is a hand-me-down and instructions are missing, you may be able to download from the websites or you can also call the company and ask them to send you the instructions.

Before driving, please make sure your child’s safety seat is installed correctly.
A few minutes of safety measures can save your beloved child.

Sakurako Yagi (Secretary)