Universities shore up Asian legal footing

Japanese universities are stepping up their cooperation with universities in other Asian nations in studying legal systems in the region and helping produce legal experts in these countries.

The moves are aimed at helping Japan's Asian neighbors improve their legal systems to complement their efforts to create market economies and expedite the democratic process.

The Japanese universities also hope to better advocate themselves as conduits for academic and personnel exchanges, given the growing importance of this nation's ties with these new economic powers.

On Oct. 19, Nagoya University held its annual Tokyo Forum at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, showcasing the university's support for improving the legal systems in Asian nations.

Students learning Japanese at the law department of the National University of Mongolia joined the forum by video-phone. They gave a simple greeting in Japanese.

The students belong to the Japanese legal education research center, which was set up by Nagoya University's Center for Asian Legal Exchange with a subsidy from the Japanese government. Similar centers were recently set up in Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Mongolia with the objective of nurturing experts of Japanese laws--in Japanese.

Since 1998, Nagoya University has accepted students from Asian countries to contribute to the development of legal professionals. However, after some students told the university they could not learn the ins and outs of Japan's legal system if they studied Japanese laws in English, the university decided two years ago to get the ball rolling on the first research center.

At the Tokyo forum, former Vietnamese Justice Minister Nguyen Dinh Loc heaped praise on Nagoya University's project. "The center will help nurture people who are knowledgeable not only about Japanese law, but also Japanese society."

The university hopes the students at the centers will go on to serve pivotal roles in administrative and legal organs in their countries.

"As ties with Asian countries become ever more important, the university can distinguish itself from other universities by serving as a go-between with aspiring legal professionals in Asia," said Masaki Nakamura of the university's Center for Asian Legal Exchange.

Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law has dipped its toes in the water by starting cooperation with Renmin University of China and Busan National University in Busan, South Korea, from this academic year. The tie-up aims to foster study of legal systems in the three countries as well as devising research education program for graduate school students and young researchers.

Seigo Mori, dean of Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law, said, "If possible, we hope this leads to the formulation of a common legal system and interpretation in East Asia."

Although the East Asian economic community is still at the drawing-board stage, Hokkaido University has launched a study with experts from China, South Korea and Taiwan to propose a set of common rules for a common market.
(Oct. 30, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071030TDY04301.htm