Lex50 — Legal Consolidation Project
Japan has approximately 2,000 laws, and virtually no one can grasp the entire system. This project proposes reorganizing the existing legal framework into 50 consolidated codes — making laws accessible to every citizen. Just as the Heisei administrative reform streamlined government agencies, we aim to streamline the laws themselves.
Background
Over 150 years since the Meiji era, Japan's legal framework has grown increasingly complex through repeated amendments. Even experts struggle to survey the whole system. Establishment laws alone number over a dozen, tax laws are scattered across dozens of statutes, and solving a single issue requires cross-referencing multiple laws. Drawing on precedents like France's codification and Germany's Social Code (SGB), this project proposes a uniquely Japanese consolidated legal system.
Design Principles
Cross-Domain Consolidation
Unifying establishment laws into a single Public Organization Act, transcending bureaucratic silos.
Two-Phase Approach
First inventorying laws by e-Gov's 50 fields, then reorganizing into our 50-code framework.
Digital First
Integrated with LexCard for digital search, comparison, and automated amendment drafting.
International Comparison
Benchmarked against 50 countries' codification approaches through the Lex50 global survey.
Project Phases
Phase 1 — Inventory of Current Laws
Surveying all existing laws along e-Gov's 50 subject fields, identifying structures, issues, and contradictions. Leveraging LexCard's search and AI analysis capabilities.
Phase 2 — Reorganization into 50 Codes
Restructuring laws into 50 consolidated codes based on Phase 1 findings. Includes cross-domain consolidations such as establishment laws → Public Organization Act.
Phase 3 — Verification & Publication
Verifying legislative drafting compliance, auto-generating amendment texts and comparison tables. Publishing the entire deliberation process for public comment.
50 Codes Overview
Historical Precedents
This project follows the lineage of Japan's structural reforms: the 1999 Central Government Reform (22 → 12 ministries) and the Heisei Great Merger (3,232 → 1,718 municipalities). While administrative organizations were rationalized, the legal framework itself remained untouched. Consolidating approximately 2,000 laws into 50 codes can be seen as a 'Great Merger' of legislation itself.
About the Legal Consolidation Project
For opinions on this project, research collaboration proposals, or inquiries about legal data utilization, please feel free to contact us.