Issue 144, July 2025

Foreword

  • A Paradigm Shift in Consumer Education

White Paper on Consumer Law in 2025

  • Chapter 1: Consumer Credit (Finance) 
  • Chapter 2: Credit, Leasing, and Payment Methods
  • Chapter 3: Specific Commercial Transactions Act
  • Chapter 4: Consumer Contract Act and Special Provisions on Consumer Litigation Procedures
  • Chapter 5: Securities and Financial Products
  • Chapter 6: Insurance
  • Chapter 7: Futures Trading and Fraudulent Investment Schemes
  • Chapter 8: Defective Products
  • Chapter 9: Defective Housing
  • Chapter 10: Antitrust Law and the Act on the Labeling of Products
  • Chapter 11: Religion
  • Chapter 12: Electronic Commerce
  • Chapter 13: Public Assistance and Welfare
  • Chapter 14: Others

Special Feature 1: Calling for the Revision of the “Yamikin”, Underground Lending Regulation Law

  • The Enactment and Revision of the Consumer Lending Act and the Necessity of Measures Against “Disguised Sale-and- Purchase Underground Lending”
  • Litigation Against Prepaid Voucher Buyers and the Necessity of Amending the Loan Business Act
  • Report on Litigation Regarding “Mono-Money” (Prepaid Voucher Cash Conversion Services) 
  • Judgment Report on Litigation Regarding “Mono-Money” (Prepaid Illegal Lending) 
  • Factoring is an illegal loan; legislation to regulate it is required
  • On business factoring
  • The necessity of regulating contracts that are not traditional loan agreements as loans
  • «Document» Chairman’s statement demanding strengthened enforcement against businesses that illegally lend money under the guise of factoring
  • «Document» Chairman’s statement calling for the establishment of “deemed lending” or the formulation of guidelines under the Loan Business Act and the Investment Act

Special Feature 2: Rescue Activities for Victims of the Unification Church

  • My Experience with Joining, Activities, and Leaving the Unication Church
  • Proposal by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations on liquidation procedures following dissolution orders against religious corporations
  • Report on the Activities of the Working Group on the Relief and Prevention of Victims of Psychic Commerce and Related Issues
  • Unification Church’s SLAPP Lawsuits and Illegal Attack Lawsuits: Appeal Court Ruling on the SLAPP Lawsuit Filed by the World Peace Women’s Federation
  • Religious Delusions, Madness, and Fraud (2): The Case of the Unification Church

Special Feature 3: The Restoration Party, Casino Issues, and the Hyogo Prefectural Governor Election

  • Osaka Casino Litigation, Major Developments
  • Online Casinos Sweeping Japan, a Threat Following IR
  • Gambling Victim Consultation Activities by the Osaka Ichō Association and the Expo Methane Gas Issue
  • Expo Methane Gas Issue
  • The “Politics” and “Administration” of the Restoration Party Leaders, Full Text Published Online
  • Misunderstandings Circulating Regarding Hyogo Prefecture’s “Public Interest Disclosure” Issue: Does a “Public Interest Disclosure” Cease to Be Such If It Was Not Intended as Such?
  • Summary of a Court Ruling Deeming Legitimate Opinions Labeling Political Group Nippon Ishin no Kai as an “Anti-Social Cult Group,”
  • Bribery and corruption in the Hyogo Prefectural Governor Election and the Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Election

Special Feature 4: Politics Destroying Article 25 of the Constitution (Kiryu City Welfare Benefits Violation)

  • National Compensation Lawsuit Against the Violation of Welfare Benefits in Kiryu City 124
  • Kiryu City Welfare Issues: Allegations of Forgery of Official Names and Seals by the Administration
  • Voices of Victims

Special Feature 5: The Cause of Japan’s Food Crisis

  • Constitutional Challenge to the Seed Law Abolition: High Court Ruling and the Supreme Court Battle
  • Japan’s Food Crisis and Farmers’ Demonstrations: The Crucial Moment to Protect Agriculture, Food, and Life
  • Japan’s Rice Shortage and Food Crisis, Political Privileges, Poverty, and Constitutional Violations

Series 1: Consumer Legislation, Consumer Affairs Agency, Consumer Commission, National Consumer Affairs Center, Legislative Proposals

  • Discussion with Mr. Bush, Chairman of the German Consumer Affairs Advisory Committee
  • Report from the 8th Consumer Commission
  • Report on the Status of Research on Consumer Transactions in the Digital Society at the 30th Consumer Issues Relay Report Meeting
  • Movement to Strengthen Local Consumer Administration
  • Behavioral Norms and Legal Effects in Consumer Law (3)

Series 2, Payday Loans and Commercial Loans

  • The Importance of Public Order and Morals
  • Strengthening Japan’s Democratic Movement (43)

Series 3, Anti-Poverty and Regeneration

  • The “Life’s Fortress” Trial: “Even with Consecutive Victories, Challenges Remain,” Exposing Price Fraud (24th Session)

Series 4, Great East Japan Earthquake/Radiation and the Future of Japan

  • Restarting Nuclear Power Plants Threatening National Safety

Series 5, Special Commercial Transactions Law, Deposit and Trust Law, Credit (Installment Sales)

  • Multi-Level Marketing in the Winmedix Case
  • Issues and Countermeasures Regarding Post-Payment Settlement (BNPL)
  • On the Movement to Amend the Special Commercial Transactions Act
  • On the GOLDMINE Case
  • Toward the Summary Report of the Expert Survey Committee on the Paradigm Shift in Consumer Law System
  • Judgment Under the Special Provisions on Consumer Litigation Procedures: The ONEMESSAGE Information Product Case

Series 6: Consumer Contract Law and Unfair Business Practices

  • Regarding the First Instance Judgment in the Common Obligation Confirmation Litigation Against Radolce Co., Ltd.
  • Injunction Request Against Japan Key Service Co., Ltd.
  • Notice to Ohmoto Comprehensive Law Office Case Regarding the Correction of the Closure of a Regular Savings
  • Account Following a Notice of Debt Settlement Acceptance
  • Activity Report of the Consumer Institution of Japan: Major Achievements and Challenges
  • Activity Report of Tochigi Consumer Link
  • Activity Report of Consumer Support Kanagawa
  • Qualified Consumer Organization Consumer Net Okayama
  • Summary of the Consumer Education Coordinator Program for Fiscal Year 2024
  • Report on the Study Session on the “Comprehensive Support Program for Living Regeneration to Promote Consumer Self-Reliance”
  • Part-Time Job Fraud (2)

Series 7, Civil Law and Related Laws

  • Amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act
  • Cancellation of Online Game Payments by Minors

Series 8, Banking, Securities, Insurance, and Futures

  • Securities Trading Victims Among the Elderly: A Case Involving Structured Bond Transactions
  • Current Status and Challenges of J-FLEC (Financial and Economic Education Promotion Organization)

Series 9, PL (Product Liability)

  • When Was the French-Made Anti-Hemophilia Vaccine Sold by a UK Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Released into Circulation?
  • Establishment of the 2024 Revised EU Product Liability Directive (Part 2)

Series 10, Defective Housing

  • Basic Knowledge of Defective Housing Disputes (70)

Series 11, Food Safety

  • Ensuring Consumer Rights Even in Uncertain Situations
  • A Study on Methods for Distinguishing “Unverified Information”
  • Artificial Sweeteners Whose Risks Are Beginning to Be Recognized

Series 12, Pets and Animals

  • Documents, Resolution Calling for Legal Reform to Promote Coexistence Between Humans and Animals
  • Illegal Kobe District Court Ruling Permitting Euthanasia in Violation of the Lost Property Act, which Prohibits Euthanasia of Animals
  • On the Residential Intrusion Incident in Minamidaito Village, Okinawa Prefecture

Series 13: Cases, Precedents, and Essays Related to Daily Life

  • Current Status of Deliberations on Reforming the Adult Guardianship System and Anticipated Impacts on Consumer Issues

Series 14: The Collapse of the Judicial System

  • Cases Where Claims and Evidence Were Rejected as Timely Defense Methods

Series 15, International Consumer Issues

  • Regulation of Contract Conformity in Sales Contracts in Other Countries (1)
  • Regulation of Telephone Solicitation in the UAE
  • Investigation into Measures Against Unfair Trade Practices in the EU and Germany
  • Commercial Electronic Message Management System in Turkey
  • Chinese Consumer Law Developments (Part 39)

Series 16, Peace, Freedom, and Human Rights

  • Hiding and Altering Public Documents: The Moritomo Gakuen Documents and the Ministry of Finance
  • The Weimar Republic and Political Violence