Judge Hisashi Owada, president of the International Court of Justice, presented a lecture session, titled "The International Court of Justice--Its Functions and Outlook," which was held at the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics Main Building, sponsored by the Graduate School of Law. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the United Nation's principal judicial organ for settling legal disputes between states and giving advisory opinions on legal questions to the United Nations' organs and specialized agencies. Judge Owada is the second Japanese person elected to the court and the first to be inaugurated as president.
During his lecture, after giving an overview regarding the status and functions of the ICJ, President Owada pointed out that the international community was headed toward "integration" and that the substance of international law was changing accordingly. This change is now representing itself as disputes about individual rights or the environment that go beyond the traditional framework of disputes between states. In addition, a new order is being created in which the international and national legal orders are related to each other.
He further explained that the legitimacy of the ICJ was guaranteed by the composition of judges representing the major legal systems of the world and the convergence of wisdom through a careful process of writing judgments. He also added that ICJ's judgments have been well received . In the end, he mentioned a newly introduced "law clerk" (an investigator that assists judges) position, for which he encouraged Kyoto University students to apply. A meaningful question-and-answer session involving students followed after the lecture.
After the lecture, President Owada visited President Hiroshi Matsumoto, who briefed him on the university's research and education plans and with whom he exchanged some ideas. He also met Dean Takashi Muranaka from the Graduate School of Law and researchers who are studying international law.
 Question by a student |  President Owada responding with a smile |
 Students eagerly listening to the lecture | |