Symposium on International Law and Japanese Approaches: The Law of the Sea and International Peace Operations

26 - 26 February 2016
  • Starts at: 09:30h
  • Fee: Free
  • Venue: T.M.C. Asser Instituut
  • Address: R.J. Schimmelpennincklaan 20-22
    2517 JN The Hague
    Netherlands
  • Email: conferencemanager@asser.nl

One of the distinguishing trends of the last decades is the ever increasing importance of the Pacific region for global trade and economy. Nevertheless the region undergoes certain challenges and changes in regional peace and security. One prominent country which faces these challenges and changes is Japan. 

On 26 February 2016, the T.M.C. Asser Instituut will organise a Symposium on International Law and Japanese Approaches. The panel sessions will be devoted to two topics:

  • the disputes in the maritime areas of East Asia; and
  • the changing role of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in international peace operations.


The Symposium will start with a keynote speech of H.E. Judge Hisashi Owada of the International Court of Justice. Speakers for the panel sessions are: Dr. Yurika Ishii of the National Defense Academy of Japan, Prof. Dr. Alex Oude Elferink of the Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea, Dr. Christina Hoss of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal, H.E. Judge Shunji Yanai of the International Tribunal for the law of the Sea, Prof. Craig Martin of Washburn University and Dr. Bérénice Boutin of the T.M.C. Asser Instituut. 

The Symposium is on invitation only and has been made possible through support from the Toshiba International Foundation.

>>Read the full report
>>Read the Keynote Address by H.E. Judge Hisashi Owada of the International Court of Justice