Graduate Schools for Law and Politics

1. Overview

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The Graduate Schools for Law and Politics develop a deep and exact understanding relating to law and political science from theoretical and historical perspectives. Through specialized research and through cultivation of practical ability, the Schools aim to nurture skilled and talented individuals and train excellent legal practitioners who are principled, possess a strong sense of their public duty to the state and to society, and who can be active in the fields of modern law and international law. The Graduate Schools for Law and Politics are comprised of the School of Legal and Political Studies and the School of Law.

The School of Legal and Political Studies is a graduate school for people wishing to become legal or political science researchers as well as those wishing to make use of the results of technical research in their work, including lawyers, business legal staff and civil servants. It is also a graduate school for foreign nationals who wish to acquire a deep knowledge of law and political science in Japan. There are three Courses in the School of Legal and Political Studies, in the fields of (1) positive law, (2) comparative, historical and theoretical studies of law, and (3) politics, for each of which there are master's and doctoral programs.

The School of Law provides professional degree program with the purpose of producing highly-skilled and principled lawyers with a strong ethical sense of responsibility and with the intention to contribute to the state and to society, and who can play an active role in advanced international fields. The School of Law consists of a three-year program for those without prior legal education or experience and a two-year program for those with prior legal education or similar experience.

There is no special admission system for international students in the School of Law. The School of Legal and Political Studies master's program has provisions for the special admission of foreign students and it is possible to undertake examinations in any of the three Courses of positive law, comparative, historical and theoretical studies of law, and politics. Furthermore, foreign nationals wishing to undertake research relating to special matters at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics may be accepted onto the foreign research student system. Foreign research students accepted under this system are initially enrolled for one year, with possible extension up to three years. No degree or qualification can be conferred even after completion of this period, however. It is also possible to utilize this foreign research system in order to prepare to undertake the examination for entry into the School of Legal and Political Studies master's program.

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2. Departments

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School of Legal and Political Studies

The School of Legal and Political Studies is a graduate school for those wishing to study law and politics in depth. The school has three Courses (Positive law; Comparative, historical and theoretical studies of law; and Politics) and offers both a master's program (20 places) and a doctoral program (40 places).

The specialized fields in the Positive law course include constitutional law, administrative law, tax law, international law, public finance law, international economic law, civil law, commercial law, civil procedure law, criminal law, criminal procedure law, bankruptcy law, labor law, economic law, private international law, intellectual property, criminology, social security law and consumer law.

The specialized fields in the Comparative, historical and theoretical studies of law course include philosophy of law, Japanese legal history, Western legal history, Oriental legal history, Anglo-American law, German law, French law, Russian/former Soviet Union law, other foreign laws, Roman law, Islamic law, sociology of law, comparative law, and European Community law.

The specialized fields in the Politics course include political science, history of political science, public administration, international politics, the political history of Japan, Western political history, the theory of political process, comparative politics, the history of Asian political thought, history of Japanese political thought, political and diplomatic history of Asia, European political history, political and diplomatic history of the United States, Russian/Former Soviet Union political history, and international political history (including European diplomatic history).

Importance is placed on research and education from comparative, theoretical and historical perspectives.

◆　Required Japanese Level
It is necessary to be able to read Japanese materials. As a guideline, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 (N1 on the new test) or
higher is necessary.

◆　Application Distribution/Application Period
      Master's Program:
      Application distribution: from early May
      Application period: planned from early June
    Doctoral Program:
    Application distribution: from early July
      Application period: planned from early December

School of Law

The School of Law aims to produce highly qualified lawyers who can contribute to society. At the School of Law there is a three-year program (capacity: 65 students) aimed at people with no prior legal education and a two-year program (capacity: 165 students) aimed at people with prior legal education or similar experience. Classes at the School of Law are conducted by the Socratic method, through interaction between the students and faculty; and reading of a large quantity of Japanese material is required. Therefore, a high level of Japanese proficiency is essential. There are no special courses and no special admission systems for international students.

◆ Required Japanese Level
Very high level of ability in Japanese (reading, writing, and discussion) is required.

◆ Application Distribution/Application Period
Application distribution: from early July
Application period: planned from early October

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