Introduction


Columbia University i.e Cityof New York I New York N.Y. 10027

Columbia Journal of Asian Law Tel: (212) 2&.,0- 16
Columbia University School of Law Fax: (212) 854-7946
435 West 116th Street Emil: nnlaw0lawx.coumbiaedu
New York, NY 10027 btp./w.columbiaerd!,tcuastaweb

It is with great pride and pleasure that we present the inaugural issue of
the Columbia Journal ofAsian Law.

After nine successful years as the Journal of Chinese Law, the Board of
Editors has decided to broaden the scope and coverage of our publication to
include the ongoing legal developments throughout Asia. We believe this is
an especially fortuitous time to expand the reach of our publication.
Economic, social and political change in Asia has spawned an increasing
number of exciting legal issues and controversies, and the quality and quantity
of the scholarship in the field grows each year. At the Columbia University
School of Law, the Columbia Journal of Asian Law is uniquely poised to stay
on top of the field. Located in one of the most internationally oriented cities
in the world, Columbia is the only law school with Centers for Chinese,
Japanese and Korean Legal Studies, which are providing resources and
ongoing support to this endeavor.

The Columbia Journal of Asian Law will publish the work of leading
scholars, practicing attorneys and government officials, as well as student-
written notes. The geographic and topical scope of the Columbia Journal of
Asian Law includes almost every aspect of Asian lav in the entire Asian
region, with an initial focus on China, Japan, and Korea. In the pages that
follow the reader will find an article on enforcing civil judgments in mainland
China, an overview of Korean securities law and the issues facing foreign
investors, an analysis of the current political and legislative struggle to control
religious groups in Japan, a discussion of Taiwan's plan to establish itself as
the Asia-Pacific Regional Operations Center, as well as the publication of a
lecture from one of the drafters of the new Uniform Contract Law for the
People's Republic of China and a commentary on the new Administrative
Procedure Law in the P.R.C.

As the Columbia Journal of Asian Law broadens its scope and coverage,
it is also expanding its reach into a new medium. The Columbia Journal of
Asian Law is the first journal at the Columbia University School of Law to
have a World Wide Web site on the Internet. AsiaWeb will provide abstracts
of every issue of the Journal of Chinese Law and the Columbia Journal of
Asian Law as well as additional information in a format and frequency not
possible via bound issues. AsiaWeb will also provide subscribers and the
Journal another medium by which to communicate on a much more timely
basis.



None of this would have been possible without the foresight and efforts
of the Columbia Journal of Asian Law's first Board of Editors. Our heartfelt
thanks and appreciation go to:

Jong C. Lee, Editor-in-Chief Warren Huang, Executive Editor
Andrea Goodman, Managing Editor Christine Tam, Articles Editor
Michael Schlesinger, Senior Articles Editor Jin Tao, Submissions Editor
Laura S. Sarah, Notes Editor Lela Bristol, Articles Editor
Matthew Cooley, Articles Editor Dihn Doan, Articles Editor
Srinandan Kasi, Articles Editor Frederick Lim, Articles Editor
Alan Seem, Articles Editor Youngjin Sohn, Articles Editor
George Yu, Articles Editor

We hope you will join us on this new endeavor as the Columbia Journal
of Asian Law!

R. Randle Edwards Jeong-ho Roh Michael K. Young

Summer 1996