有关Kaoru Takamatsu – [2019] HKCFI 802一案 (判决日期2019年3月25日)
香港法庭首次认可日本清盘程序，并向日本法庭委任的破产管理人提供援助。
背景介绍
于2018年3月1日，东京地区裁判法院民事诉讼第20支部向Japan Life Co, Ltd (以下简称“Japan Life”) 颁发清盘令，并委任Kaoru Takamatsu先生为破产管理人。
Takamatsu先生需要获取Japan Life在瑞穗银行及汇丰银行的香港分行所持有的银行账户记录。于是，Takamatsu先生寻求香港法庭的认可和援助，以获得该账户的记录，并处理Japan Life在香港的相关事务。
判定和原则
In Re Kaoru Takamatsu [2019] HKCFI 802, [2019] HKEC 906, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance has recognised Japanese insolvency proceedings and granted assistance to a trustee in bankruptcy appointed by the Japanese Court.
Welcome to the fifth edition of Baker & McKenzie's quarterly Asia Pacific Financial Services & Regulatory Newsletter.
On May 21, the bankruptcy trustee for Mt. Gox advised depositors that the bankruptcy case in Tokyo was proceeding. The information contained in the email was limited in scope, guarded and of little use in understanding the trustee’s view of how the bankruptcy ultimately may resolve.
Recently, Japanese bulk-shipping company Daiichi Chuo Kisen Kaisha sought bankruptcy protection in both Tokyo and New York. The company, which features a fleet of 185 vessels used primarily to transport cargo such as limestone, cement and coal overseas, commenced its United States bankruptcy proceedings by filing a Chapter 15 petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Background
New approach
Creditor involvement
Comment
It is common practice in many jurisdictions – including Japan – to elect a sponsor to finance a failing business in order to revitalise it. In many insolvency cases, such election is necessary for a successful restructuring.
Yesterday afternoon in Newark, New Jersey, Judge John K. Sherwood of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court granted Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.'s request to recognize its Korean bankruptcy case and to provide U.S. bankruptcy protection to its assets and operations within the United States. However, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's protection is subject to another hearing on Friday to sort out what arrangements can be made among the various stakeholders.
Arthur C. Clarke famously observed: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Our regulatory, legislative, and judicial systems illustrate this principle whenever new technology exceeds the limits of our existing legal framework and collective legal imagination. Cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, has proven particularly “magical” in the existing framework of bankruptcy law, which has not yet determined quite what bitcoin is—a currency, an intangible asset, a commodity contract, or something else entirely.
Arthur C. Clarke famously observed: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Our regulatory, legislative, and judicial systems illustrate this principle whenever new technology exceeds the limits of our existing legal framework and collective legal imagination. Cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, has proven particularly “magical” in the existing framework of bankruptcy law, which has not yet determined quite what bitcoin is—a currency, an intangible asset, a commodity contract, or something else entirely.
自己破産というのは、借金を返すことがもう絶対にできないということを裁判所に理解してもらい、法律上で、借金をなくしてもらうことができるやり方です。生活する中で、最低限必要な財産以外のものは、何もかも失うことになります。 日本の国民であるならば、誰もが自己破産ができるのです。
本来、債務は自分で返済すべきですが、どうにも返済の見込みが立たないときには、債務整理を考えてみるべきです。 一般的に債務整理が必要かどうか判断するタイミングというのは、毎月の返済が収入の３割以上に及ぶ場合が妥当な時期のようです。任意整理で弁護士等を訪れるのはこのタイミングが一番多いです。予定していた日に返済が行われないと、貸した側から次の日には支払いに関しての連絡がくるでしょう。
次の支払い予定日を聞かれるのでそこで約束すれば、あとでしつこく電話がかかってくることもありません。
しかし、もしその期日に約束を果たさないと、また催促の連絡がきて、やがて訴訟に発展する可能性もあります。
どうあがいても返済不能な状態に陥ったら、任意整理、個人再生、自己破産といった債務手続きをするという手があります。
どういった形で債務者が借金を整理するかによって債務整理には４つの方法があります。