Once you obtain a judgment against a debtor, the debtor will usually pay the amount ordered by the court. If the debtor fails to do so, you will need to enforce the judgment debt.
It is advisable to consider the question of enforcement before commencing proceedings. There is little point in suing a debtor who is on the verge of liquidation or bankruptcy. Enforcement of any judgment obtained would be impossible.
Enforcement of a monetary judgment includes:
- seizure and an auction of immovable property (i.e. real estate)
- seizure and an auction of movable property
- attachment and execution of the debtor’s rights against third parties (e.g. receivables)
For enforcing judgments rendered by a foreign court, please see Enforcing Foreign Judgments. For enforcing arbitral awards, please see Enforcement of Arbitration Awards in Japan.
To find out how to get started with our debt recovery services, please see How do I get started? on our Debt Collection in Japan page.