Japan is not a party to the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention or any equivalent treaty. Article 118 of the CCP sets out the requirements for the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. As can be ascertained from reported cases, Japanese courts have so far found a 'guarantee of reciprocity', one of these requirements, between Japan and the following jurisdictions:
France, Zurich (Switzerland), Germany, England and Wales (UK), Queensland (Australia), Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, California, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin and Illinois (United States).
Where a 'guarantee of reciprocity' is established, the judgment creditor will need to obtain an enforcement judgment through court proceedings conducted in the same manner as ordinary litigation. The court will review whether the requirements set out in Article 118 are satisfied but is not allowed to review the merits of the judgment. In practice, however, the judgment debtor often raises arguments in the grey area of this principle, particularly in relation to the 'contrary to public policy' requirement.
Miyake Law has the expertise and experience to assist judgment creditors in identifying the judgment debtor's assets, obtaining an enforcement judgment, and enforcing that judgment against those assets. As enforcement of a foreign judgment is essentially a form of debt recovery (i.e., the collection of a judgment debt), you should consider instructing a lawyer with expertise in both dispute resolution and debt recovery.