Neck strain from rear-impact and similar collisions. Bands on this page are sourced to 赤い本 (Akai-bon) · 青本 (Aoi-bon) court-published quantum tables and reflect the typical settlement values for whiplashcases across the relevant severity tiers. The position within a band depends on facts the page can't see — severity, prognosis, recovery time, the strength of medical evidence, and any percentage of fault attributed to the claimant under Japan's comparative-fault rule.
★ typical band · Japan
¥2,500,000 – ¥3,500,000
Whiplash (Grade 12 — persistent)
Akai-bon Grade 12 isharyō
★ whiplash severity tiers in Japan
How the band stratifies.
Multiple severity tiers exist for this injury class. The country-page authority distinguishes between them as follows.
Whiplash severity tiers in Japan
Severity tier
Band
Basis
Whiplash (Grade 14 — minor)
¥500,000 – ¥1,200,000
Akai-bon Grade 14 isharyō
Whiplash (Grade 12 — persistent)
¥2,500,000 – ¥3,500,000
Akai-bon Grade 12 isharyō
★ statute of limitations
3 years from knowledge; 20-year longstop
Civil Code art. 724
Limitation runs from the date both the harm and the responsible party were known.
★ fault allocation
Comparative (過失相殺) — proportional reduction
Civil Code art. 722(2). Strict liability for motor vehicles under the Automobile Liability Security Law (自賠法).
★ caps that bear on this injury
What caps recovery.
Statutory caps and ceilings that apply to whiplash damages in Japan.
CALI statutory minimum cover
Compulsory automobile insurance
¥1.2M – ¥3,000M depending on outcome
CALI is the compulsory layer; voluntary insurance covers excess. The figures are statutory caps on CALI cover, not on damages.
★ Japan · procedural pathway
From injury to settlement.
The steps a whiplash claim moves through under Japan law, from medical stability to settlement.
1
Insurance negotiation
Most claims settle directly with the at-fault driver's liability insurer using Akai-bon as the reference.
2
JCAA / financial ADR
Out-of-court ADR through the Japan Center for Settlement of Traffic Accident Disputes (交通事故紛争処理センター).
3
Court proceedings
If ADR fails, suit filed in the Summary Court (≤¥1.4M), District Court (above), or family court depending on parties.
4
Trial
Bench trial; appellate review through the High Court and Supreme Court.
★ whiplash bands · all 15 jurisdictions
Compare to other countries.
How this injury values across the other jurisdictions on the site. Click any country to read the deeper context.
Each answer is independently coherent and sourced to the authority documents on this page.
How much is a whiplash claim worth in Japan?
In Japan, whiplash claims commonly settle in the ranges shown in the band table on this page. The most severe matching band is ¥2,500,000 – ¥3,500,000 under Akai-bon Grade 12 isharyō. The exact figure within the band depends on severity, prognosis, recovery time, the medical paper trail, and any percentage of fault attributed to the claimant under Japan's comparative-fault rule.
What is the statute of limitations for whiplash claims in Japan?
3 years from knowledge; 20-year longstop. Source: Civil Code art. 724. Limitation runs from the date both the harm and the responsible party were known.
Does fault allocation reduce a whiplash settlement in Japan?
Civil Code art. 722(2). Strict liability for motor vehicles under the Automobile Liability Security Law (自賠法). Reductions are calculated as a percentage of the total damages award before any cap is applied.
Are there caps on whiplash damages in Japan?
Yes — Japan applies the following caps that bear on whiplash claims: CALI statutory minimum cover. See the caps section on this page for the figures and the conditions under which each applies.
How long does a Japan whiplash case take to resolve?
Soft-tissue presentations commonly resolve within 6 to 12 months from medical stability. Complex cases with surgery or contested liability routinely take 18 to 36 months. Cases that proceed to trial commonly take 2 to 5 years. The procedural pathway on this page sets out the typical milestones in Japan.
Is settlement preferable to trial for a whiplash claim in Japan?
For most Japan whiplash claimants, yes. The vast majority of personal-injury cases settle before trial. Settlement provides certainty, removes appeal risk, and resolves faster. Trial is appropriate where liability is genuinely contested or where the defendant's insurer is unrealistic about quantum given the published authority.
Numbers on this page are starting points sourced to 赤い本 (Akai-bon) · 青本 (Aoi-bon) court-published quantum tables. They are not quotes for any specific case. For representation, consult a solicitor or attorney qualified in Japan. See /methodology for how each band is derived, /sources for the standing authority list, and /disclaimer for the scope statement.