The following schedule is subject to change.
Week 1: Course management and introduction (1)
How does law connect with the environment?
How does science connect with the law?
How does environmental protection accommodate the economy?
How does the environment connect with civil society and the government?
Week 2: Introduction (2)
Overview of Japan’s environmental law
Overview of Japan’s history and legal system
Source of Japanese law
Week 3: Japan’s experiences (1): Minamata---Mercury poisoning
Science and the law: Causation in torts and injunction
Development of Japanese environmental law: from damages to regulation
Week 4: Japan’s experiences (2): Fukushima
Dealing with nuclear power plants and energy policy:
Interdisciplinary issues and a nexus approach
Is nuclear energy a good source? Answer yes or no with reasons.
What kind of impacts on global society in the case of nuclear power plant accidents?
What kind of regulatory schemes exists in both domestic and international jurisdictions?
How do our everyday lives, industry, energy, and climate change connect with each other?
Week 5: Principles of environmental law (1)
PPP/EPR principles and cost-sharing
Week 6: Principles of environmental law (2)
The precautionary principle and evidence-based regulation
Week 7 (TBA): Guest Speaker
The Roles of an environmental NGO
Week 8: Principles of environmental law (3)
Sustainable development, SDGs, and environmental justice
Week 9: Principles of environmental law (4)
Rio 10 principle: Transparency, public participation, and access to information and remedies
Connection of legislation and judicial review
Week 10: Environmental impact assessment
Week 11: Climate change, Paris Agreement and climate change litigation
Week 12: In-class presentations (1)
Week 13: In-class presentations (2), Wrap-up