Under the 2020 reformed Civil Code, debt prescription periods are unified: 5 years from knowledge (Art. 166(1)(i)) or 10 years from exercisability (Art. 166(1)(ii)). Prescription must be affirmatively invoked (Art. 145), typically by certified mail. Renewal events include acknowledgment (Art. 152), final judgment (Art. 169), and compulsory execution (Art. 148). Suspension events include judicial claim (Art. 147), demand (Art. 150, 6-month one-time extension), and written agreement to negotiate (Art. 151).
Statute of Limitations for Debt in Japan: How to Invoke Prescription
Key Takeaways
- ✓The statute of limitations for debt is 5 years from knowledge of the right to claim
- ✓Time-barring does not occur automatically and requires formal invocation
- ✓Acknowledging debt or making partial payments resets the clock
- ✓Invoking the statute of limitations via certified mail is the most reliable method
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