Junzo Iida

International Relations Law

Issues in International Relations Law in a Global Era

In today's increasingly globalized society, we are entering an era where simply possessing knowledge in one field or one set of values is no longer enough. It is extremely important to be able to honestly recognize complex phenomena, interpret them, clearly analyze them, and find the best solutions - to do this, it is extremely important to acquire a multifaceted and flexible way of thinking, as well as a diverse and multi-layered sense of value.

You were born in Japan and have lived your life with a Japanese way of thinking. Of course. However, in the society that awaits you in the future - a global society - even if you live in Japan, a Japanese way of thinking alone may be too narrow. Even if your job after graduation is in Japan, or even if you work for a small company in a rural area, your business and market will be expanding all over the world.

In my seminar, we think about how to live in this globalized era, and what kind of mindset we should have each day in order to grow as individuals 10, 20, or 30 years from now.

Of course, it is also very important to acquire skills that can be used when you enter society. There are many mechanisms to screen you, such as English, qualifications, SPI, etc. Therefore, passing these barriers cannot be ignored.

The motto of my seminar is "Think globally and stay grounded."

If you want to study abroad, we will support you. In fact, I myself have experience studying abroad from my early 20s to mid-30s. While studying in the master's program at Soka University, I obtained a master's degree in Thailand (Thammasat University) (and then a master's degree at Soka University), a doctorate in the UK (University of Bristol), and after taking up a university position, I have been conducting research and teaching activities in the US.

In the past, the Faculty of Faculty of Law organized a short-term language training program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in the United States. I worked tirelessly to find, plan, and supervise this program.

Furthermore, we were planning to conduct a short-term training course at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington, and in cooperation with the local Japanese Business Chamber of Commerce, plan to visit local companies and experience the current state of the American economy in Seattle, where Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing and many other IT companies are located. In the midst of planning such a plan, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Furthermore, the yen weakened after the Russia-Ukraine war, so we had no choice but to postpone the US training course, which was expensive to participate in.

After that, we turned our attention to Asia, where costs could be kept down, and came up with the idea of a study tour of war ruins in Asia, but due to various circumstances, this could not be realized. Fortunately, a young faculty member who was willing to make the idea of a war ruins study tour a reality appeared, and it was realized in 2024.

Based on my experience studying abroad, which I consider to be knowledgeable about Asia, I am considering a war heritage study tour in Thailand, which I will combine with a short-term training program at Thammasat University. Faculty of Law at Thammasat University is a place filled with memories of my youth. My classmates are now holding many important positions, including the president. I would like to make full use of my connections to visit places that are not normally open to the public, especially war heritage sites.

Young people in Japan need to learn more about this negative legacy, and I hope they will take an active role in participating.

I'm a little embarrassed to say it myself, but I believe that I have diversity and multi-layered values. I will use this experience to support you who wish to study abroad. Many of the graduates from my seminar have studied abroad, including Mr. M, who became a professor at Kyung Hee University in Korea, Mr. I, who is an English teacher at a private high school in Tokyo, and Ms. E, who worked as a consul in a Central American country as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs employee. They are all seniors who have paved their own path by themselves, but I imagine that at the root of them lies the way of thinking and perception that they cultivated in the Iida seminar.

The Iida Seminar is responsible for carrying out the various projects mentioned above. If you want to steadily solidify your reality with a global mindset, the Iida Seminar will fully support you!

General Theory of International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Private Law, Sociology of Law, Asian Law

Research on international relations law: Considering nations, corporations, and international organizations in the global era.

• Graduated Faculty of Law Soka University (5th term)
• Completed the master's program at the same university
• Master's degree from Thammasat University, Thailand
• Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bristol, UK
• Visiting Research Fellow, University of Cambridge
• Visiting Researcher at the 10th Paris University, France
• Certificate from the Academy of International Law, The Hague, Netherlands
• Harvard Law School Certificate

International Law Association, International Human Rights Law Association, International Private Law Association, Japan Association of Sociology of Law, Japan Association of Comparative Law, Thai Studies Association

"An Invitation to International Law" (co-author, Yachiyo Publishing)

I think university is a place to "gain knowledge," "foster imagination," and "improve one's character." "Gaining knowledge" means greedily acquiring a wide variety of knowledge based on the knowledge acquired up to high school, and acquiring what is called specialized knowledge along with general knowledge. "Fostering imagination" means using and assembling the knowledge acquired, forming one's own thoughts, or cultivating the ability to analyze and criticize a certain matter. "Improving one's character" means polishing the goodness of human beings, who have a tendency to use cunning, and making an effort to become a person who does not misuse the knowledge acquired, but uses it for the benefit of the world and people. I think university is a "place" where one can decide what they want to learn and learn it by themselves. I hope that students will live their student life by studying independently and putting their studies first, while making lifelong friends.