일본의 상속법 개정

Abstract

Recently, provisions of the Japanese inheritance law were largely revised. The background surrounding the revision is the aging of society which is getting more pronounced and the relatively advanced age of the spouse at the time inheritance is commenced demands the need for protection. Also societal outlook regarding inheritance is changing as population of the elderly who needs support in terms of their personal affairs such as remarriage is increasing. The major contents of the revision of the Japanese inheritance law are as follows. 1. Ways to protect the spouse's right of residence 2. Improvements to the division of the estates 3. Improvements to testaments 4. Improvements to legal reserve of inheritance 5. Improvements to the effects of inheritance 6. Ways to consider contributors other than inheritors who have specially supported the inheritee Although Korean inheritance law differs greatly from Japanese inheritance law, the societal problems such as the aging society, low birth rate, late marriages or remarriages between senior citizens are quite similar. In this aspect, revision of the Japanese inheritance law is worthy of reference.