Civil Legal Aid
Civil Legal Aid provides support for people having financial difficulties when they get into legal trouble. Such people include Japanese citizens and foreign nationals lawfully residing in Japan[i]. Civil Legal Aid is available for any and all civil cases, domestic relations cases, and administrative cases to be handled in civil procedures. However, this aid does not cover legal matters concerning criminal cases.
[i]Upon enactment of the Act for Implementation of the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, in certain cases, a person who is a citizen of one of the contracting states of the convention or holds his/her habitual residence in one of such states would be deemed as a citizen under the Comprehensive Legal Support Act.the Hague Convention
※Non Japanese-speaking foreigners should contact Multi-language Information Service (0570-078377) which provides a three-party telephone conference service with a JLSC staff member and an interpreter. (From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday, toll call)
To be eligible to receive support from JLSC, it is required to meet all of the following conditions.
Conditions for Use of Service (Summary)
１ Financial ability (income and asset) not exceeding a certain threshold
As a general rule, financial ability is determined based on the amount aggregating the income and assets of the applicant and his/her spouse, except for a dispute between them.
* Amount of expenses, such as medical and educational expenses, may be deducted from the income.
- Criteria A： Income not exceeding a certain threshold
・The following is the approximate threshold of monthly income (net annual income including bonuses, divided by 12).
・Number of family members = Applicant + Spouse + the applicant's or spouse's dependents
| Living alone | 2-member household | 3-member household | 4-member household |
|---|---|---|---|
182,000 yen (200,200 yen) | 251,000 yen (276,100 yen) | 272,000 yen (299,200 yen) | 299,000 yen (328,900 yen) |
* Numbers in parenthesis represent the approximate base amount for large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.
* For a household with five or more family members, the threshold increases by 30,000 yen (33,000 yen) for each additional family member living with the applicant, etc.
* If the applicant, etc. is making any rent or housing loan payment, the threshold may be increased by the amount of such payment, up to the following amount.
| Living alone | 2-member household | 3-member household | Household with 4 members or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41,000 yen | 53,000 yen | 66,000 yen | 71,000 yen |
- Criteria B: Asset value not exceeding a certain threshold
| Living alone | 2-member household | 3-member household | 4-member household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,800,000 yen | 2,500,000 yen | 2,700,000 yen | 3,000,000 yen |
* Asset value represents the total amount of cash and bank deposits for the purpose of calculating the threshold for legal consultation service. Asset value also includes real property (excluding the applicant's own residence and real property in dispute) and securities for the purpose of calculating the threshold for representation aid / documentation aid service.
2 There is a possibility of winning the case: even a slight one
This also includes the possibility of resolution of the dispute by way of settlement, mediation or out-of-court settlement as well as the possibility of a debtor in a voluntary bankruptcy proceedings receiving a court order to discharge him/her from obligations.
3 The case in question is compatible with the purpose of civil legal support
No aid can be provided for proceedings only for the purpose of retaliation or advertising or which would constitute abuse of rights.
