Twenty representatives of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) visited Seoul for the 23rd Exchange Conference between the Korean Bar Association (KBA) and the JFBA. The members of the Japanese delegation included JFBA President Miyazaki and vice-presidents, the general secretary, deputy secretary generals, staff attorneys of the Office of International Affairs, and staff members of the Secretariat.

This exchange conference has been held annually since 1987, and the conference site alternates between Japan and Korea. The conference is an invaluable opportunity for strengthening the close relationship of the two organizations, and recently, the importance of the conference has increased as the KBA and the JFBA share views and information on crucial issues.

The themes of the exchange conference this year were “The Future of Law School Systems in Japan and Korea” and “Infringement of the Practice of Attorneys by Other Legal Professions,” and KBA and JFBA representatives actively exchanged opinions.

The Republic of Korea opened 25 law schools this March, and the KBA participants were eager to learn of the problems emerging in Japanese law schools, which had been opened earlier than those in Korea. As for the infringement of the practice of attorneys by other legal professions, bills to allow other legal professions to expand their areas of practice were being submitted one after another in Korea, and information on countermeasures were exchanged between the representatives.

At the dinner hosted by KBA President Pyung Woo Kim, the representatives further deepened their friendships.