Obtaining justice through Japan's civil justice system requires a nuanced understanding of Japanese legal culture, particularly the fundamental differences between the notion of individual rights that underlies American law and the adversarial system, and the deeply ingrained sense of 'group rights' and conciliation that is becoming more a part of the way law in Japan is actually practiced. This timely guide is unique in relating modern civil procedure to aspects of Japanese society from both the feudal and prewar period. Particularly useful for the busy practitioner is the checklist of differing societal and cultural approaches of the American and Japanese systems that have major impact on current legal practices.