Legal systems of the Far East and European Law

Research is focused on interpretation of law in Far Eastern countries like China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Beginning in the 19th century, these countries have been adopting foreign legal systems. Nevertheless numerous legal concepts have been interpreted in a different way. Legal transplants in the Far Eastern context thus shifted from their original meaning. Thus the research concentrates on the differences between “law in books” and “law in action”. Furthermore in Far Eastern countries, there is a strengthening tendency to promote interpretation under the so called “New Confucianism”. New Confucianism is considered particularly in China to be a basis of the economic success of the country. Traditional methods of interpretation of law under Confucianism or Buddhism can be currently observed also in Japan, Korea or Vietnam. The principal research method is comparative interpretation with regard to the European continental legal system, common law system as well as to EU law, which has a considerable influence particularly in South Korea. The research team has already integrated colleagues from foreign Universities in China, Taiwan, Switzerland, Japan, USA and South Korea.

Key output TOMÁŠEK, Michal. Právní systémy Dálného východu, I. díl. (Legal Systems of Far East, vol. I.). Prague: Karolinum 2016, 312 p. was awarded with the Bedřich Hrozný Award from the Rector of Charles University Professor Tomáš Zima.

Selected outputs

• MOON, Jaewan, TOMÁŠEK, Michal et al., Law crossing Eurasia: From Korea to the Czech Republic. Berlin/Passau: rW&W Science & New Media 2015, 290 p.

• TOMÁŠEK, Michal, MÜHLEMANN, Guido et al. Interpretation of law in China - roots and perspectives. Prague: Karolinum Press: 2011 Charles University in Prague, 201 p.

• TOMÁŠEK, Michal. Politická otázka při přezkumu ústavnosti na Dálném východě (Political Question in the Process of Constitutionality Review at Far East). Jurisprudence 2017, No. 1, pp. 25 – 31.

• TOMÁŠEK, Michal. Právní systémy Dálného východu, I. díl. (Legal Systems of Far East, vol. I.). Prague: Karolinum 2016, 312 p.