Bar Exam

The Japanese Bar Exam is notoriously difficult, with a pass rate typically around 20%. Here's a breakdown of the syllabus and pattern:

Structure:

The exam is divided into two stages:
⚫ Written Exam: Five subjects tested over four days (multiple choice and essay questions).
⚫ Oral Exam: Individual interview assessing practical legal skills and ethics.

Syllabus:

Written Exam:
⚫ Constitutional Law: Japanese Constitution, fundamental human rights, national structure, etc.
⚫ Civil Law: General principles, contracts, torts, property, family law, inheritance, etc.
⚫ Criminal Law: General principles, crimes, criminal procedure, evidence, etc.
⚫ Commercial Law: Company law, bankruptcy law, securities law, commercial transactions, etc.
⚫ Civil Procedure Law: Lawsuits, procedures, evidence, judgments, etc.

Oral Exam:
⚫ Assesses practical legal skills like case analysis, legal writing, client communication, and ethical judgment.
⚫ May involve simulated legal scenarios or mock trials.

Pattern:

⚫ Written Exam:
⚫ Each subject has its own exam (except Constitutional Law combined with Civil Law).
⚫ Each exam lasts 4 hours.
⚫ Multiple choice questions typically account for 30-40% of the score, essays for the remaining 60-70%.

Oral Exam:
⚫ Individual interview lasting around 30 minutes.
⚫ Panel of examiners asks questions about legal knowledge, practical skills, and ethical considerations.

Additional Resources:
⚫ Japanese Federation of Bar Associations: https://www.nichibenren.or.jp/en/ (in Japanese)
⚫ The Japan Times article on the Bar Exam: https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Japan-is-producing-more-lawyers-than-it-knows-what-to-do-with
⚫ Gaijinpot article on the Bar Exam: https://gaijinpot.com/