上(じょう)From the standpoint of

Attaching to nouns, 上(じょう) is a suffix that highlights when something is being presented 'from the standpoint of (A)'. The 'standpoint' that 上(じょう) will indicate is usually a specific field or area of concern. The (B) part of the sentence will then go on to describe what exactly is being considered from that standpoint.

• 法律(ほうりつ)上(じょう)、伊勢海老(いせえび)を許可(きょか)なく釣(つ)り上(あ)げて持(も)って帰(かえ)ることが禁止(きんし)されている。

  From a legal standpoint, it is prohibited to fish for lobsters and bring them home without a permit.
• 規則(きそく)上(じょう)、生徒(せいと)は髪(かみ)を染(そ)めてはいけないのに、髪(かみ)を染(そ)めている生徒(せいと)が複数(ふくすう)います。

  From the standpoint of the rules, it is prohibited for the students to dye their hair, but there are a few students that have dyed hair.

上(じょう) is fairly formal, and can be interpreted similarly to に関(かん)して 'in connection to', in that it is just expressing that (B) is being discussed in relation to (A).

As 上(じょう) will be used with matters of concern, it is very frequently seen with words that express broad fields, such as work '仕事(しごと)', 'education' 教育(きょういく), 'history' 歴史(れきし), 'health' 健康(けんこう), 'experience' 経験(けいけん), 'the law' 法律(ほうりつ), and other similar things.

Caution

Despite expressing standpoints, 上(じょう) cannot be used to indicate an individual person's point of view. Because of this, it cannot be used as a suffix for names of people or organizations that something is being considered from.

• 鈴木(すずき)上(じょう)、会社(かいしゃ)Ａ(エー)が会社(かいしゃ)Ｂ(ビー)に買収(ばいしゅう)される事(こと)はいい事(こと)だと思(おも)っている。

  From the standpoint of Suzuki, he thinks that company A being bought by company B is a good thing. (Unnatural Japanese)