Consumer protection by applying the buyer's right to reduce the price due to non-conformity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01382
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 05070:New fields of law-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Ogasawara Nana 山形大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (40507612)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 瑕疵担保責任 / 契約不適合 / ドイツ民法 / 消費者保護 / 代金減額 / 情報提供義務 / 説明義務

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In cases where an inappropriate explanation was given during the contract negotiation process and a contract with a content different from what the parties wanted is concluded, even if a breach of the duty of explanation is recognised, there are many cases where the explanation recipient (e.g. a consumer) is not relieved at the level of damage calculation. The purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical basis for protecting the recipient of the explanation by compensating the damage by applying the provisions for price reduction claims based on liability for defects by analogy. The current Civil Code, which came into force in April 2020, replaced defect warranty liability with contractual nonconformity liability, resulting in the provision of price reduction claims. This study analyses the German discussion, which uses the method of relieving the declarant by applying similar provisions by analogy, and examines the possibility of introducing it in Japan.

Free Research Field

民法、消費者法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ドイツ法の議論を基に、契約不適合に基づく減額請求規定による消費者保護が日本法において可能か否かを検討し、論文執筆を行ない、『山形大学法政論叢』の70=71号（2019年）、73号（2020年）、74号（2021年）（以上、「デジタル遺品の相続性に関する条項への消費者契約法10条の適用可能性（１）～（３・完）」）、75号（2022年）（「情報提供義務違反の効果としての減額－ドイツにおける「culpa in contrahendoによる減額」の導入可能性－」）で公表した。さらに研究成果が関連分野の研究者において広く共有されるよう、「国際取引法研究会」「消費者法研究会」にて報告を行なった。