Advanced telecommunication technologies enable us to employ new methods for judicial acts in the national civil procedure, such as facilitating evidence through a video-link system. However, before implementing these methods in the national proceedings for cases with foreign elements, it is necessary to elucidate the relationship between sovereignty and judicial acts of courts, including the validation of these new methods. This is because judicial acts by courts are considered to fall within the purview of the exercise of sovereignty from a Japanese perspective. From the analysis on Japanese state practices to date, it is recognized that Japan has strictly abided by the principle of territoriality under public international law. Nevertheless, reconsidering the meaning of sovereignty, Japan can adopt a more liberal and tolerant policy. In particular, Japan can become more tolerant of other countries’ judicial acts, which may be conducive to the better delivery of justice in transnational civil and commercial dispute settlements.

I. Introduction
 II. Service of Process to and from Japan
  A. Service of Process by Japanese Courts upon Foreign Residents
  B. Service of Process by Foreign Courts to a Party Resident in Japan
  C. Analysis
  D. Contemporary Issue: Service by Electronic Means
 III. Taking Evidence Abroad
  A. Taking Evidence Abroad by a Japanese Court
  B. Taking Evidence in Japan for Foreign Proceedings
  C. Analysis
  D. Use of New Technologies for Taking Evidence Abroad
 IV. Sovereignty and National Civil Procedure
  A. Discussions by Lawyers in Japan
  B. Ambiguity of Rules in Public International Law
  C. Japanese Policy of Judicial Acts Abroad
 V. Conclusion

• Keisuke Takeshita(Associate Professor of Law at Hitotsubashi University)