Institute of Comparative Law, Waseda University
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Institute of Comparative Law, Waseda University 1 2 Contents Greetings from the Directors ......................................................................................................... 2 Joint Research Projects .................................................................................................................. 6 Academic Exchange ........................................................................................................................ 8 Research Information ..................................................................................................................... 9 Comparative Law Study Series ................................................................................................... 10 Symposia and Lectures................................................................................................................. 12 Organization (as of 21 September, 2016) .................................................................................... 22 Members (as of 21 September, 2016)........................................................................................... 23 3 Greetings from the Director Welcome to Waseda University Institute of Comparative Law KIKUCHI, Yoshimi Professor of Law Former Director of the Institute of Comparative Law Waseda University September 2014-September 2016 Waseda University Institute of Comparative Law was established in 1958 for the purposes of conducting comparative research into Japan's legal system and those of other countries, and to contribute to research and education in the field of Japanese jurisprudence. Throughout its history the Institute has been systematically collating materials concerning the legal systems of countries worldwide, accumulating collections of statutes, case law, and law journals, and building one of Japan's preeminent law libraries. The Institute's activities initially focused on research into legal systems, primarily of Western countries, but with the development of Japan's social and economic systems and the evolution of Japan's own legal system, steadily increasing importance has been given to promulgating information about Japan's legal system to Western and other Asian countries. The Institute's staff include 127 research members, all of whom are full-time Waseda University faculty members, and 82 research affiliates selected from researchers outside the university. In addition, agreements have been concluded with the Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; School of Law, Tsinghua University; Institute for Comparative and International Law, University of Melbourne; School of Law, Duke University; , the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law; the Korea Legislation Research Institute; and University College London (UCL), and exchange researchers are welcomed from those institutions. Visiting scholars and researchers from abroad are also accepted through such channels as the Waseda University International Affairs Division's International Office. The Institute is currently engaged in 18 joint research projects in which comparative-law research is being actively conducted by its research members and research affiliates. In addition, it holds public lectures on a semi-monthly basis for which it invites legal academics from around the world who are at the forefront of research in various fields of law. The results of these research activities are published regularly in our journal Hikaku Hogaku (Comparative Law) and in our series of books grouped as Hikakuho Kenyujo Sosho (Comparative Law Studies Series), and to provide information about the Japanese legal system and jurisprudence internationally, we also publish the Waseda Bulletin of Comparative Law annually in English. We have also recently been placing greater emphasis on the use of websites for the dissemination of information in English, providing up-to-date details of legislation and important case law and other topics such as recent developments in the academic world. The articles are written by researchers conducting research activity at the cutting edge of academia and posted in a timely manner. 2 In addition to these research activities, since 2013 we have been conducting an Institute-wide research project entitled "The Role of Law and Legal Studies in the Transition to a Sustainable Society: From the Perspective of Regional Law in Asia" This research is based upon the reflection that modern nations pursuing development premised on ceaseless economic growth have accelerated the depletion of natural resources and given rise to production and labor surpluses, and it aims to give consideration to the role of law and jurisprudence in balancing three elements: the economy, society, and the environment, in order to accomplish a transition to a sustainable society that also takes future generations into account. As exemplified by the problems that are afflicting the natural environment, there is a pressing need for research of this kind, not only with regard to the situation within Japan, but also at supranational level. Learning in part from the experiment embodied by the European Union as a model case, this project is conceptualizing the development of regional law for the Asian region. The project arose from a conception by my predecessor as Director of the Institute, Professor Yoshiki Kurumisawa (currently Senior Dean, Waseda University Jurisprudence Academy), and as his successor I shall carry on the task of developing it. Through diverse research activities such as those referred to above, Waseda University Institute of Comparative Law desires to serve as an "open door" that contributes actively to strengthening ties between law researchers in countries throughout the world and Japanese jurisprudence and law researchers. Please feel free to contact the Institute. All approaches will be welcomed. Professor KIKUCHI, Yoshimi September 21, 2014 3 Welcome to Waseda University Institute of Comparative Law NAKAMURA, Tamio Professor of Law Director of the Institute of Comparative Law Waseda University September 2016-Present The Institute of Comparative Law (ICL) at Waseda University was established in 1958. The purpose of the Institute is to conduct comparative research on the legal systems of Japan and other countries, and to contribute to research and education in the field of Japanese legal studies. Working towards these goals, the Institute has been systematically collecting material on the legal systems of other countries, including their statutes, case reports, and law journals, to build one of Japan’s most impressive law libraries. With the development of Japan’s social and economic systems and the evolution of its legal system, our mission has expanded. We aim to disseminate information on the development of contemporary Japanese law and its legal system, and to raise critical legal questions of universal importance for discussion from a Japanese perspective. At present, the Institute has 123 research members who are full-time faculty members at Waseda University, and 111 research affiliates from elsewhere. In addition, agreements have been concluded with the Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; School of Law, Tsinghua University; Institute for Comparative and International Law, University of Melbourne; School of Law, Duke University; Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law; Korea Legislation Research Institute; and University College London (UCL). Exchange researchers from these institutions are welcome to work with us at the Institute. Scholars and researchers from other countries can visit the Institute through such channels as the International Affairs Division of Waseda University. The Institute conducts three different programs: specific or individual events, group research projects, and multi-annual research that is carried out by the Institute as a whole. 1) In terms of specific events, the Institute holds public lectures on a semi-monthly basis for which it invites legal academics from around the world who are at the forefront of research in various fields of law. In addition, our research members contribute articles to our annual journal, the Waseda Bulletin of Comparative Law, or to our online publication, Topics of Japanese Law. Both publish articles in English for readers worldwide, and the topics are related to the contemporary Japanese legal system, such as recent Japanese legislation and important Japanese court judgments. 4 2) Concerning group research, 20 joint research projects are being conducted by our research members and research affiliates, who are working together on comparative legal studies. 3) Since 2013, we have been conducting an Institute-wide research project entitled ‘The Role of Law and Legal Studies in the Transition to a Sustainable Society: From the Perspective of Regional Law in Asia’. The research project is based on a critical view of modern states and their societies, the rapid economic development of which is considered the premise of social development. However, economic development has accelerated the depletion of natural resources and environmental deterioration. Thus, the project aims to determine a new role for law and legal studies that will be instrumental in bringing about a balance between the economy, society, and the environment to achieve a transition to a sustainable society that protects the interest of future generations. Economic activities go beyond nation-states, and the social problems that result from