Dokkinhō Kōgi (An Introduction to the Competition Law of Japan - 10th edition)

UTokyo BiblioPlaza has previously introduced the 7th edition of this book. This time, I would like to provide information on the features of the 10th edition.
 
Numerous new issues have arisen in the field of competition law, such as "digital platforms" and "human resources and competition."
 
It is essential to consider said issues, however, in doing so, it should be necessary to know to what extent the existing framework can deal with them and where the unsolved problems begin.
 
This book refines the framework that can respond to new issues as they arise. It shows how the problems of "digital platforms" and "human resources and competition" can be addressed under this framework. It offers ways to respond to new issues without becoming rootless.
 
The 9th edition was written and edited before the spread of COVID-19. Since then, the online environment has evolved, both on the part of readers and the author. I therefore developed a YouTube lecture course based on the 9th edition of this work, which fortunately received a positive feedback. I found many points to improve. I have included them in the 10th edition.
 
Since its first edition, this book's consistent philosophy has been to elucidate the basic structure of competition law, conveying it elegantly to the reader. The publication of an "easy-to-understand textbook" is often met with criticism. Behind such criticism is the understanding that "easy-to-understand textbooks" often lead to inaccurate or inappropriate knowledge. It is appropriate for the content to be complex if that is necessary for being accurate and advanced. However, accuracy and clarity should not be mutually exclusive. Textbooks may be difficult to understand because of problems in how they communicate or because the authors do not grasp the subject matter's essence. Such books should be improved.
 
This textbook aims to provide easy-to-understand explanations while maintaining high standards. I have carefully selected the contents and the number of pages has been kept small. Readers who wish to know more detailed information can find it in Tadashi Shiraishi's "Competition Law of Japan."
 
Readers will be able to reach a level where they can communicate with foreign experts by simply translating this book’s basic framework into English.
 
It has been more than 25 years since the first edition of this book was published and the number of readers during that time has been significant. Moreover, I have received substantial feedback, which has been encouraging.
 
In sum, this book will help readers discover the excitement of competition law and the fascination of understanding complex things in a structured way.
 

(Written by SHIRAISHI Tadashi, Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics / 2023)