Rōdōhō (Labor Law: Seventh Edition)

This is a textbook about labor law. A number of labor law textbooks are already available. This book was written with the intention of distinguishing itself from these in the following ways:
 
First, the book is intended to be accessible to a wide range of readers; from law students just starting out, all the way to practitioners and researchers. Many of the issues covered by labor law may seem at first familiar, but their context often complicates them. As a result, dull citations or explanations of laws and cases are not sufficient for us to grasp the whole picture of the problem and rarely lead to the core thinking behind a problem. In this book, by doing things like presenting the breadth of labor law in a systematic fashion and giving concrete case examples, we have done our best to make it as clear as possible to understand labor law as a whole. Also, in writing about each issue, we clarify the grounds and the purpose of all the articles and theories that form the starting point for legal thinking, and then as clearly as possible describe in a theoretical fashion the path that leads from that point to the conclusion. We designed the book so that the reader might become familiar with the legal thinking that lies at the heart of labor law.
 
At the same time, we emphasized the role of case law related to each and every issue, analyzing and explaining it theoretically, as well as revealing our own views in each instance. We did not limit our examples to the most important cases, but also included recent cases wherever possible, so that the explanations we have made of their relevance from a theoretical standpoint might contribute to those actually practicing labor law. We hope we may further inspire discussion in the area of labor law research by spelling out as much as possible our thinking and opinions, and their theoretical basis.
 
Secondly, this book incorporates underlying history and society, which are the driving forces behind labor law. As with most other areas of law, labor law does not simply deal mechanically and superficially with the myriad problems faced by modern society, but changes dynamically in reaction to the history and society that govern it. As such, when considering issues of labor law, it is vital to give profound consideration to these forces. This profound consideration plays an essential and decisive role in the future of labor law. In the first part of this book we spend a substantial amount of space giving systematic consideration to the driving forces behind labor law, mainly history and society. You will also find here and there throughout the book questions separated out from the text, intended to encourage fundamental deliberation over these driving forces and the future of labor law. While these areas might not be necessary in law school classes, which concentrate on case studies, it is our wish that you read about these yourself and reflect seriously on them, as they are the foundation of labor law. Doing so is a prerequisite for practical problem solving.
 
This book, here in its seventh edition, was written with all this in mind. We aim to represent the whole picture and changing face of labor law, and with each revision of the book we follow up on the latest laws and judicial precedents.
 

(Written by MIZUMACHI Yuichiro, Professor, Institute of Social Science / 2018)