When the legal system is abused to merely cause harm to another person or the exercise of the law is grossly contrary to social norms, judges can prohibit the exercise of a legal right. This principle, known as “abuse of rights”, was adopted by Japan from Europe after the Meiji Restoration to resolve conflicts between written law and social norms. This presentation deals with the historical development and contemporary practice of the prohibition of abuse of rights in Japan and Germany. Decisions and the theoretical discussion from the first application in Japan to today will be presented, analyzed, and contrasted with German theory and practice. The aim is to answer the question of how and why the Japanese understanding of the prohibition of abuse of rights differs from that in Germany. This also leads to very fundamental questions about the relationship between legislators and courts, and society’s understanding of law as a whole. Please note that this is an online only event. Details and registration here

Southeast Asia faces the conundrum that its largest economic benefactor China is also a geopolitical challenger to the region’s cohesion and rules-based order. How do Southeast Asian states balance their economic interests and security interests? What is the role of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision (FOIP) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in that balancing process? How can we conceptualize these balancing actions using hedging? Using Cheng-Chwee Kuik’s hedging framework, this presentation comparatively investigates how Southeast Asian states hedge against China by leveraging the FOIP vision and BRI to secure strategic autonomy. This research finds that the competitive nature of Sino-Japanese relations, as manifested in the interaction between the BRI and FOIP, provides Southeast Asian states extra regional assets to lessen the contradictions that exist between the beneficial economic interactions with China and its geopolitical challenges. Details and registration here

Please note: this event is fully booked. Registration is no longer possible. Looking back upon the extra-long twentieth-century that begins in the latter half of the nineteenth century and that continues today, it has become increasingly clear that “freedom” is not necessarily the antithesis of oppression and domination. Instead, “freedom” has too often been the condition for the workings of power. One of the most obvious examples in modern Japan is the Japanese empire’s promise to free those in the Asia-Pacific from the bonds of Euro-American colonialism and racism. This relation between the promise of freedom and new oppressions has been a recurring theme in modern history throughout the world. This talk grapples with this question through the example of Japanese history, including during the Second World War, while discussing the complicity of freedom with the oppressions that have accompanied nationalism, imperialism, colonialism, the “emperor system,” and various forms of social discrimination. This DIJ Forum (onsite only) is the first event in the Max Weber Foundation event series ‘The Ends of War’, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Details here

The workshop “Building a Sustainable Future: Integrating Consumption, Finance, and Education” delves into the interconnected issues of sustainability, sustainable consumption, sustainable finance and education. Collectively, they form a holistic approach to creating a more balanced and resilient world. Sustainable consumption encourages mindful choices to minimize waste and environmental impact, while sustainable finance directs capital toward environmentally friendly and socially responsible investments. Together, they create a powerful framework that fosters innovation, promotes responsible resource management, and drives positive social and environmental outcomes, paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future. This one-day in-person workshop, jointly organized by the DIJ and the German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo, brings together eights experts who will share they views and latest research on different aspects of sustainability. Details and registration here

Before the speculative bubble in Japan’s real estate market burst in the early 1990s, real estate prices in Tokyo skyrocketed without wage growth at all levels of society keeping pace. When the crisis hit, the city experienced unprecedented levels of homelessness. In response, labor and housing markets were subjected to neoliberal restructuring. But what created greater housing insecurity in other parts of the world seemed to have the opposite effect in Tokyo – the number of officially recorded rough sleepers dropped significantly. How could this be? Based on a reevaluation of Japanese literature, an analysis of government, industry, and business reports, and backed up by in-depth interviews conducted with both entrepreneurs and residents, this presentation will outline four case studies of fragile housing to examine the regulation of homelessness as an expression of Japanese capitalism in crisis. Details and registration here