Issue 138, January 2024

Preface

  • Identity in Japanese Society
  • Subscription Troubles and the Elderly

Special Feature. Five-year Review of the
Special Commercial Code, What to do about the Consumer Affairs Agency

  • Regulation of Mail Order Sales in the internet communication and transaction Age
  • Today’s issues of pyramid selling regulations
  • Information product pyramid damage spreading among minors, based on a report by Saitama Simbo on 31 October
  • Report on “WinMedics” damage
  • Regulation of pyramid schemes in South Korea
  • Serials, Q&A on the revision of the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, No. 1, Door step selling

Series 1, Consumer legislation, Consumer Affairs Agency, Consumer Commission, National Consumer Affairs Centre, Legislative proposals

  • Report from the 8th Consumer Commission
  • Current Status of Consumer Organizations and Discussion Points for the Future, “Report on a Survey Focusing on Consumer Organizations with Policy Advocacy Functions”
  • Cross-cutting Administrative Rules on Consumer Transactions, Intersection of Civil and Administrative Rules

Series 2, “SARAKIN”, Salaried workers loans (consumer financing) and Small business loans

  • (Ref.) Resolution 1 of the KURESARA (consumer and small business loan) victims’ exchange meeting
  • Disparity and poverty in Japan seen from the scene of consultation, the voice of the person concerned changes society, Declaration of the conference
  • (Ref.) Resolution 2 of the KURESARA victims’ exchange conference
  • Strictly protest against the arrest of factoring users
  • 14.6% election loss problem, especially regarding the guarantor, election loss for non-repayment

Minor Specials, East Asia Financial Victims Exchange Meeting

  • Hearing from Prof. Moon Jin-young and Priest Song Kyung-yong
  • The Beneficent features of the Right to Survival in Light of the National Basic Livelihood Security Law and the Nature of the Right
  • Record of a visit to the strongest civil movement organization in South Korea ‘Participation and Solidarity’
  • Report on the 12th East Asia Financial Victims Exchange Meeting (2023 Taiwan-Japan International Conference) 
  • For strengthening democracy movement in Japan (37), “Can we make a living from citizens’ movement and consumer movement”

Series 3, Anti-Poverty/Rehabilitation

  • Now is the time to move from the ‘Welfare Law’ to the ‘Livelihood Security Law’
  • On the issue of car ownership by welfare recipients and petition for stay of execution
  • Historic Victory at the Opening of the Nagoya High Court in Crucial Time, Rejecting the Fake of One Price (No. 18)

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

Minor Specials, Fukushima Contaminated Water

  • What to do about Fukushima contaminated water?
  • What is the problem and what is the solution?
  • In order to stop the release of contaminated water from ALPS, Significance and prospects of filing an injunction suit

Series 5, Special Commercial Law, Deposit Insurance Law and Credit (Discount Sales)

  • Liability of Superior Persons in Binary MLM Commercial Law 
  • Regulations under the Installment Sales Act on prepaid installment sales, etc.

Series 6, Consumer contract law and malicious commercial practices

  • The Right and Necessity of Publication of Written Offers and Written Responses from Traders 
  • Correction of penalty clauses that make it more profitable to terminate an annual contract with a lower fee than the accumulated monthly amount of regular fees
  • Application activities against Value Management Corporation
  • Application concerning contract clauses used by snow removal service providers
  • Report on the activities of the NPO Consumer Support Net Kumamoto (from FY1993)
  • Activity Report of the Qualified Consumer Organization Consumer Citizen Net Tohoku (Response to a Proposed Seller of Electric Potential Therapy Devices) 
  • Report at the 2022 National Consumer Forum
  • Formulation of the Osaka Consumers’ Federation “Tasks of the Osaka Consumers’ Federation Movement towards 2050” 
  • Casino and gambling issues on the web
  • Handling of Yahoo! fraud cases

Series 7, Civil code and other laws

  • Advertising and labeling issues, introduction of stemming regulations
  • Lecture on rental housing Series (2), Damage caused by eviction

Series 8, Defective housing

  • Fundamentals of Defective Housing Disputes (64) – Structural Provisions of the Building Standards Law

Series 9, Food Safety

  • Functional Foods: Appeal to the Supreme Court
  • Fluoride mouthwash and children’s health Series

Series 10, Religion

  • Realization of a nationwide network for psychic damage relief
  • “All my property has been taken away from me. Please be sincere”
  • Regarding the request for an order to dissolve the (former) Unification Church

Series 11, Pet and animal law

  • Current Issues Concerning Animals, The Position of Animals in Law and Recent Problems Concerning Domestic Animals
  • Revision of the Animal Welfare Law
  • Seeking the Five Freedoms and the Enemy Bottom of Animal Cruelty Prevention
  • Proposals to amend laws for animals and people
  • Seeking legal reform that does not treat animals as objects
  • Report on residents’ lawsuit against the killing of dogs and cats at the Hyogo Prefectural Animal Protection Centre

Series 12, International consumer issues

  • Chinese Consumer Law Situation (Part 33), Chinese National Code and Consumer Protection 1

Counselor’s eyes/activities

  • “Can’t you do something about it!” Repeated Bankruptcies of Hair Removal Esthetic Businesses
  • Support and consumer education to turn failure into independence

Q and A

  • The deepening romance investment deception-like investment deception

Precedents and Settlement Bulletin

  • No. 2602-2607

Introduction of Important Precedents

National Consumer Affairs Center Information

  • Trouble cases in consumer affairs consultation (52)
  • On the issue of online game charges for children

Voices of the Government, Political Parties and Diet Members

  • Improving consumer understanding of the ocean discharge of ALPS process water from TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi NPP
  • On the ocean discharge of ALPS treated water, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan
  • “Let’s properly acknowledge the oceanic discharge of ALPS treated water!”
  • “Stop the ocean discharge of contaminated water (ALPS treated water) from TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant”
  • “Stop the discharge of contaminated water into the ocean!”

And more

  • Database of judicial precedents
  • Newspaper information