The Japanese Law Society invites you to join us for a panel discussion on Japan’s Constitution on Thursday, April 10, at 4:00 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall, Room 214.
Japan is in transition. Prime Minister Abe, who won a landslide victory in the 2012 election, is seeking to change Japan’s 70-year-old Constitution. He argues that Japan needs to fill the gap between the Constitution and reality, facing the frictions with China over the East China Sea and the threats from North Korea.
Many people, however, express concerns over changing the pacifistic Constitution. They criticize PM Abe as a right-wing nationalist. His visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines 14 class-A war criminals, and his administration’s review on official positions toward historical issues are seen as a symbol of his revisionist views. Against such a backdrop, his move toward constitutional revision ignites anger in East Asia, especially in China and South Korea. Also, the newly enacted Secrecy Law is alleged to be a move to limit freedom of speech in Japan after the Fukushima disaster and to strengthen the state control over media.
Where is Japan, the US’s indispensable ally in East Asia, heading? To consider possible answers to this question, we will have a panel discussion on Japan’s Constitution. Facilitated by Professor Frank Upham, the panel will discuss political, legal, and social changes in Japan, as well as its implications in international relations.
Please RSVP through registering here or by e-mail to Yukiya Tsuno (yt812@nyu.edu) or Kayo Matsushita (km3141@nyu.edu).
Thursday, April 10, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt Hall, Room 214
Moderator: Professor Frank Upham, NYU School of Law (role of law in Japanese and Chinese society)
Panelists:
Dean Trevor Morrison, NYU School of Law (constitutional law, PhD in Japanese history from Columbia University)
Professor Jerome Cohen, NYU School of Law (Chinese law and government)
Professor Helen Hardacre, Harvard University (Japanese society, religion in Japan)