{"id":368932,"date":"2023-02-28T12:10:51","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T17:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-products-that-come-from-japan.html"},"modified":"2023-02-28T12:24:19","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T17:24:19","slug":"can-i-sue-products-that-come-from-japan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-products-that-come-from-japan.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue Products that Come from Japan?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n \n
\n

Can I Sue Products that Come from Japan?<\/h1>\n
\n
\n By Robert Rafii, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

\n

You can sue a person or company for a defective product from Japan if the product was sold in the U.S. and caused injury. Product liability laws in the U.S. allows claims against manufacturers, distributors, or retailers involved in the product\u2019s distribution chain. You may also have contract-based claims or need to consider international law if the defendant has no U.S. presence.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

What you may mean to ask is whether you can sue a person or company who is responsible for a defective product that came from a foreign country like Japan. You may have some recourse under the local laws of that country. For example, going to Japanese courts or asking the Japanese government to help you hold the culprit responsible.<\/p>\n

But more realistically, you would likely pursue legal action here in America rather than trying to get your case in front of a Japanese court. These types of claims are complicated, and navigating the legal process requires a clear understanding of state and federal product liability laws. It’s best to consult a product liability lawyer<\/a> (a type of personal injury attorney) to evaluate the strength of your case.<\/p>\n

Product Liability Claims in America<\/h2>\n

If you bought your product here in the United States, local state and federal courts will give you protections under product liability laws. This falls under the subject matter of negligence principles, which are civil tort (injury) laws<\/a> that deal with accidents resulting from consumer products.<\/p>\n

A claimant’s cause of action for product liability will vary under the laws of your state. But it will generally involve a defective product<\/a> that injured you in the course of its intended use, and the defect was the direct and foreseeable cause (causation) of your injury.<\/p>\n

The second element above refers to defects in:<\/p>\n