How does law realize public policy? What prevents laws to be effective? How can practitioners prepare for various stages in the making of law and public policy? With the focus on international economic law, this course will address these questions by exploring the two-level game theory, which views international negotiations as simultaneous discussions at both the domestic and international levels, as well as the concept of ambiguity of law. This course is structured around three learning objectives: (1) understanding the theories of law and public policy; (2) applying theoretical understanding of law and public policy to real-life issues and cases; and (3) experiencing negotiations and briefings which are the daily activities of practitioners.

Development projects are main couses of environmental problems such as nature destruction. Environmental Impact Assessment or EIA as a tool for public participation is one of the most effective and strong environmental conservation policy tool to achieve "Sustainable Development, SD", "SDGs", ESG investing and "Nature Positive". And it depends on policies on ”mitigation hierarchy” in EIA systems. However mitigation policies vary by government and even worse EIA system itself is not well known in our societies. The goal of this course is to understand what EIA system is and how EIA can integrate environmental consideration to development projects by observance of "mitigation hierarchy" . This course focuses on nature/biological issues such as ecosystems, habitats, endangered species, flora & fauna. You will learn fundamentals of EIA including purpose, procedure, methodology, mitigation measures, public participations in EIA procedure. As an ecological impact assessment tool, Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) and Habitat Suitability Index Models (HSI models), the most popular quantitative habitat assessment methods are also learned. “Biodiversity offset” and its market-oriented economic instrument “biodiversity banking” are discussed as the forefront of strategic ecological mitigation measures. We may also discuss relationship between newly introduced policies/mechanisms such as "Nature Positive", "TNFD, "30 by 30".

By the end of this course the students should have acquainted themselves with the main questions lying at the intersection of ethics and International Relations/international politics, becoming familiar with the concepts and jargons of ethical theory, just war, ethics of war and warfare, responsibility to protect, human rights and global justice.

At the end of this course, the student should have familiarised with a series of ongoing discussions concerning the nature of international politics, both in its theoretical articulation and in its several sectorial dimensions. International political theory will be introduced through an analysis of the ma-jor schools of thoughts providing a definition of what international politics is about (ontology) and how it is supposed to be studied (epistemology). The students will become familiar with the concepts of realism, Realpolitik, anarchy, power, national interest, zero-sum-game, relative vs. absolute gain, polarity, globalisation, sphere of influence, intervention, human rights, emancipation.

This course introduces students to fundamental themes and issues in development studies. The course allows students to explore a range of critical debates and discussions connected to poverty in less prosperous parts of the world, and is divided into three parts. The first part of the course focuses on theories and approaches by examining how the understanding of development has evolved from the colonial period up to contemporary theories of what constitutes a developed society. Part two looks at key actors in the field of development including the state, national development agencies, global financial institutions and civil society organisations. The third part of the course explores a number of key themes in international development, looking at questions around how trade, conflict and refugees impact on development. In addition to the acquisition of content knowledge, students will develop their academic English skills in the following areas: listening comprehension; notetaking skills; critical thinking, discussion, intensive and extensive reading, summary writing, research, and presentation.

This course introduces students to fundamental themes and issues in development studies. The course allows students to explore a range of critical debates and discussions connected to poverty in less prosperous parts of the world, and is divided into three parts. The first part of the course focuses on theories and approaches by examining how the understanding of development has evolved from the colonial period up to contemporary theories of what constitutes a developed society. Part two looks at key actors in the field of development including the state, national development agencies, global financial institutions and civil society organisations. The third part of the course explores a number of key themes in international development, looking at questions around how trade, conflict and refugees impact on development. In addition to the acquisition of content knowledge, students will develop their academic English skills in the following areas: listening comprehension; notetaking skills; critical thinking, discussion, intensive and extensive reading, summary writing, research, and presentation.

This course examines cultural heritage, law and policy across countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on Indigenous cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, alongside international and comparative approaches to the protection of heritage. The term ‘cultural heritage’ can refer to a broad range of concepts, including tangible heritage (sites, monuments, objects), intangible heritage (language, stories, customs, lore), movable and immovable heritage. It may refer to the cultural heritage of a specific country, and/or the cultural heritage of specific Indigenous groups within that country. Law and policy do not always recognise these distinctions. Issues affecting cultural heritage can range from the impact of colonisation; a failure to recognise and protect Indigenous groups; the impact of war; and modern environmental factors. The first part of the course introduces students to the course concepts, focusing on traditional knowledge, Indigenous cultural heritage, the role of colonisation, and more general approaches to the term ‘cultural heritage’. It then examines the different international organisations that oversee and legal frameworks that have been introduced in this area, some effective and some less so, in addition to the approaches that individual countries have adopted in protecting these different areas, using existing intellectual property regimes or bespoke heritage law. The second part of the course focuses on specific country case studies, including Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Indonesia, examining the Indigenous cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of groups within these countries and the various, significant challenges that these Indigenous groups have faced. It then examines the Ainu people and recent legal efforts in Japan recognise and protect the culture of this group, before turning to the comprehensive domestic and international protection that Japan has adopted for its cultural heritage more generally. The course finishes with a reflection on the role of museums in the displacement of Indigenous cultural heritage and cultural heritage more generally; the ongoing, recent attempts to return Indigenous tangible cultural heritage to ancestors; and how law may help or hinder such attempts. Students do not need to have undertaken any prior legal study to successfully complete this course.

Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple and Microsoft play an important role in the digital economy and in our daily lives. You are probably reading this text through a product or service offered by one of these companies. How convenient! Yet the rapid growth and enormous power of these companies have also raised serious concerns. Have these companies become digital monopolies? Have they abused their market power to exclude smaller competitors? Have they become so large that they can no longer be regulated? Do they pose risks to democracy and other public values? This course examines these questions primarily through the lens of competition law, while also paying close attention to other key areas of digital regulation. The main focus is on the EU, Japan and the U.S. but developments in other jurisdictions may be discussed where relevant. By the end of the course, students should be able to: •Understand the main legal problems raised by Big Tech •Explain the legal tools used to address these problems, •Describe and compare how the EU, Japan and the U.S. regulate Big Tech.

Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple and Microsoft play an important role in the digital economy and in our daily lives. You are probably reading this text through a product or service offered by one of these companies. How convenient! Yet the rapid growth and enormous power of these companies have also raised serious concerns. Have these companies become digital monopolies? Have they abused their market power to exclude smaller competitors? Have they become so large that they can no longer be regulated? Do they pose risks to democracy and other public values? This course examines these questions primarily through the lens of competition law, while also paying close attention to other key areas of digital regulation. The main focus is on the EU, Japan and the U.S. but developments in other jurisdictions may be discussed where relevant. By the end of the course, students should be able to: •Understand the main legal problems raised by Big Tech •Explain the legal tools used to address these problems, •Describe and compare how the EU, Japan and the U.S. regulate Big Tech.

This course examines cultural heritage, law and policy across countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on Indigenous cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, alongside international and comparative approaches to the protection of heritage. The term ‘cultural heritage’ can refer to a broad range of concepts, including tangible heritage (sites, monuments, objects), intangible heritage (language, stories, customs, lore), movable and immovable heritage. It may refer to the cultural heritage of a specific country, and/or the cultural heritage of specific Indigenous groups within that country. Law and policy do not always recognise these distinctions. Issues affecting cultural heritage can range from the impact of colonisation; a failure to recognise and protect Indigenous groups; the impact of war; and modern environmental factors. The first part of the course introduces students to the course concepts, focusing on traditional knowledge, Indigenous cultural heritage, the role of colonisation, and more general approaches to the term ‘cultural heritage’. It then examines the different international organisations that oversee and legal frameworks that have been introduced in this area, some effective and some less so, in addition to the approaches that individual countries have adopted in protecting these different areas, using existing intellectual property regimes or bespoke heritage law. The second part of the course focuses on specific country case studies, including Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Indonesia, examining the Indigenous cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of groups within these countries and the various, significant challenges that these Indigenous groups have faced. It then examines the Ainu people and recent legal efforts in Japan recognise and protect the culture of this group, before turning to the comprehensive domestic and international protection that Japan has adopted for its cultural heritage more generally. The course finishes with a reflection on the role of museums in the displacement of Indigenous cultural heritage and cultural heritage more generally; the ongoing, recent attempts to return Indigenous tangible cultural heritage to ancestors; and how law may help or hinder such attempts. Students do not need to have undertaken any prior legal study to successfully complete this course.