Home Activities BLC Public Lectures The faculty of the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics offer extension courses. The courses aim to provide students with hands-on opportunities to deal with business law. Among the students are many currently engaged in corporate legal affairs. These courses are also open to the public. BLC Seminar This seminar is designed for faculty (including those from other departments and from other universities) and University of Tokyo students who are interested in the themes presented in the seminar. Lecturers are mainly faculty from the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics. However, outside lecturers may be invited. Workshop on Computer Law In today’s evolving information society, computers have become a fact of life, and are used in many areas of our daily lives. The main purpose of this workshop is to consider new legal issues arising from the use of high tech information systems. Copyright Law Study Conference In March 2005, the Business Law Center established Copyright Law Study Conference thanks to a monetary contribution by the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC). In addition to faculty from the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, reporters for this workshop also include professionals such as lawyers, judges and councilors. The review journal Jurist serializes the accomplishments of this workshop. Comparative Law and Politics Symposiums ICCLP has been organizing international symposiums since 1996, and they have been held both on- and off-campus. Among them are joint endeavours with foreign universities – the University of Sheffield, the University of Warwick and the University of São Paulo. These international symposiums have brought together not only academics but also many legal and political practitioners. The Center has continuously aimed to establish human networks and disseminate information on relevant issues. As of summer 2007, thirty ICCLP symposiums have been held. (Open to public) Comparative Law and Politics Seminars&Forums Visiting professors and visitors from overseas as well as faculty members and researchers based at the Graduate School of Law and Politics present their current research at these regularly-held seminars and forums that allow participants to engage in informal discussions. ICCLP has hosted over 200 seminars since 1994, and 130 forums since 1991. (Not open to public) ICCLP Researchers ICCLP has a research scholarship program to support young scholars in their research by providing opportunities to assist work at the ICCLP. Since 1990, thirty young researchers from twelve countries have enrolled in this scholarship. Also, since 1997, the Center has appointed six ICCLP Researchers (a non-scholarship, Center-affiliated position) from three countries. Visiting Research Scholars of the Graduate School of Law and Politics The Graduate Schools for Law and Politics (The Faculty of Law) has been hosting a number of visiting research scholars every year. Since 1970, approximately 340 visiting research scholars from overseas have enrolled in this program. ICCLP helps to administer the visits of these researchers and serves as a hinge for visiting research scholars, professors and students in order to enable effective and organized exchange. Classes, Lectures and Seminars IBC cooperates in managing the various activities held by the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics and the Faculty of Law. These activities include a series of classes, lectures, and seminars. Supporting the Global Centers of Excellence Program In the academic year 2008, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) approved ‘Soft Law and the State -Market Relationship’ as the Global Centers of Excellence (GCOE) program. Since then, BLC has supported GCOE program. See, ‘Soft Law and the State -Market Relationship’ Website for Detail Projects ICCLP has promoted exchange projects with universities and institutes in the US, France and Korea. Moreover, the first Anglo-Japanese Academy (AJA) was inaugurated to promote scholarly activities and mutual understandings co-sponsored by the School of East Asian Studies, the University of Sheffield and ICCLP in 2001. The second AJA was held at the University of Warwick in 2006. Supporting the Endowed Chair in ‘Politics and Mass Media (Asahi Shimbun)’ ICCLP has been supporting the activities of the Endowed Chair established at the Graduate School in April 2004. Supporting the School of Law On 1st April 2004, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) approved the establishment of sixty-eight law schools. The University of Tokyo’s School of Law has its foundation on one of the three major fields of study that had been previously provided at the Graduate School of Law and Politics – legal training (the other two fields are, legal and political studies and public policy studies). IBC, with its track record in international exchange, continues to provide substantial support to the School of Law. Supporting the 21st Century Center of Excellence Program In the academic year 2003, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) approved ‘Soft Law and the State -Market Relationship’ and ‘Invention of Policy Systems in Advanced Countries’ as the 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) programs. Since then, IBC had supported both COE programs. See, ‘Soft Law and the State -Market Relationship’ Website for Detail See, ‘Invention of Policy Systems in Advanced Countries’ Website for Detail Supporting the Policy Innovation and Political Change Program ICCLP provides secretarial support to the Policy Innovation and Political Change Program. This program was established to continue and further develop academic activities initiated by the 21st Century COE (Center of Excellence) Program: "Invention of Policy Systems in Advanced Countries: Building a Synergy Core for Comparative Policy System Studies," which ran from 2003 to 2008.