Japanese Business Glossary

A 宗教法人 (shukyo hojin) is a "religious corporation" in Japan. This legal status is given to organizations primarily engaged in religious activities. The Religious Corporations Act, established in 1951, governs the formation, operation, and dissolution of these entities.

Religious corporations enjoy certain benefits, such as tax exemptions on donations and property used for religious purposes. They must register with the local government, providing details about their religious activities, leadership, and financial management.

The main requirements to form a 宗教法人 include having a constitution or articles of incorporation, a board of directors, and being engaged in continuous religious activities.

訴訟 (sosho) is the Japanese term for a lawsuit or litigation. It refers to the process of bringing a legal dispute before a court for resolution. This can involve various stages, including filing a complaint, presenting evidence, and awaiting a judgment. Litigation can be used to settle disputes in areas such as contracts, property, or personal injury.

損害 (songai) in Japanese means "damage" or "loss." It refers to harm or injury that affects a person, property, or business, resulting in a financial or material deficit. In a business context, songai might relate to financial losses, damage to assets, or other detrimental impacts that affect the company's operations or profitability.

懲戒処分 (chokai shobun) refers to disciplinary action taken against an employee for violating company rules or policies. This can include various measures depending on the severity of the misconduct, such as warnings or reprimands, suspension from work, reduction in salary, demotion, or dismissal. The purpose of chokai shobun is to maintain workplace discipline and ensure that employees adhere to company standards. The process and specific actions are usually defined in the company's internal regulations or employment contracts.

The term いずれ (izure) in Japanese can have several meanings depending on the context. Commonly, it means "sooner or later," "eventually," "one of these days," or "sometime." It is often used to express an action or event that is expected to happen at an unspecified future time.

For example, いずれ彼は戻ってくるでしょう means "sooner or later, he will come back. いずれにせよ、もう遅いです translates to "in any case, it's already too late." Another example is いずれ私たちは再会する which means "eventually, we will meet again."

In the context of Japanese business and legal terms, 名義 (meigi) refers to the name or title under which something is registered or owned. It is commonly used to indicate the official or legal ownership of assets, properties, bank accounts, and other entities.

For example, when you open a bank account, the account will be under a specific meigi (name). Similarly, when registering a company, the ownership and responsibilities are tied to the meigi of the person or entity officially listed.

In summary, meigi is crucial in identifying the legal owner or responsible party in various formal and legal matters.