Empirical Research on Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures in Japan: Building an Empirical Basis for ADR Policy Recommendations

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25245002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fundamental law
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: OTA Shozo 東京大学, 大学院法学政治学研究科(法学部), 教授 (40152136)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 垣内 秀介 東京大学, 法学(政治学)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10282534) ; 前田 智彦 名城大学, 法学部, 教授 (10292806) ; D・H Foote 東京大学, 法学(政治学)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10323619) ; 石田 京子 早稲田大学, 法学学術院, 准教授 (10453987) ; 今在 慶一朗 北海道教育大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (40359500) ; 入江 秀晃 九州大学, 法学(政治学)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50600029) ; 河上 正二 東京大学, 法学(政治学)研究科(研究院), 教授 (70152923) ; 菱田 雄郷 東京大学, 法学(政治学)研究科(研究院), 教授 (90292812)
• Research Collaborator: IMAZAI Keiko
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ＡＤＲ利用者調査 / 日本のＡＤＲの現状 / 紛争解決行動 / 司法アクセス / ＡＤＲの手続効果 / 国民のＡＤＲへの態度・評価 / ＡＤＲと裁判手続き / 実証的法社会学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our national survey to ADR users resulted in the following findings (our ADRs are mostly run by bar associations), which have significant legal and policy implications.
ADR users’ evaluation on procedural fairness is influenced by: 1. Inter-Party Communication, 2. Mediators’ Way of Behavior, and 3. Degree of Oppressiveness of Mediator. Most of the users did not know ADR beforehand, and the advice in counseling by lawyer is crucial in their decision to use ADR. The ADR users are more expecting negotiated resolution than litigants, but their accusation tendency is detrimental to peaceful solution. Caucus procedure, which is often used in ADRs, deters the communication in the ADR process.
Our internet survey revealed that counseling by a lawyer enhances ADR utilization. A finding of our field experiment (internet survey method was used) is that court judgments and ADR results have similar effect on people’s attitude and behavior related to care-taking on elderly parents with dementia.

Free Research Field

法社会学