[Summary]
This course offers overview of the entire body of the Constitution of Japan and description of provisions related with guarantee of the fundamental human rights.
[aim]
Understanding the role of Constitution and other laws in our livelihood and developing basic legal mind for solution to problems through acquiring knowledge of the Constitution of Japan, especially provisions of fundamental human rights with case study.
To comprehend entire body of the Constitution and provisions of guarantee of fundamental human rights.
To acquire contents and boundaries of human rights, and understand basic methodology for interpretation of laws.
To acquire legal background using the Constitution as a material, and to derive and document your own answer from a legal point of view by using the legal syllogism in solving problems.
✔ Applicable | How instructors' work experience benefits the course |
---|---|
I will explain methodology of legal mind based on my career of an attorney at law, on assumption using the Constitution and other laws in a court. |
the Constitution, Human rights, Culture
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
First, we overview the Constitution including of governmental functions for beginners. After that, contents and boundaries of fundamental human rights are introduced with precedents. You are strongly recommended to attend to classes and draft legal essays for examine, because the aim of this class is to be able to document legal interpretation and syllogism to solve legal problems.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | 1. Guidance 2. Introduction to laws and the Constitution | Understand roles of laws and the Constitution in society. |
Class 2 | Understanding entire body of the Constitution - Comprehension of Constitutionalism, Rule of law, Popular sovereignty, Government Structure | Read texts of the Constitution throughout and comprehend that contents and capturing concepts behind them. |
Class 3 | Natures, categories, scope and boundaries of human rights, and standards of constitutionality | Read provisions of human rights, capturing arguments common with those provisions. |
Class 4 | Equality under the law, political freedom and boundaries I | Comprehend arguments related with equality under the law and freedom of conscience and thought. |
Class 5 | Political freedom and boundaries II | Comprehend arguments of freedom of speech. |
Class 6 | Economical freedom, "Due process of law", social human rights and those boundaries | Comprehend arguments of each human right. |
Class 7 | Right to access to public service, right to vote and concepts of "New human rights" | Comprehend arguments of each human right. |
Class 8 | Final Exam (In case of face-to-face class) |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material. ATTENTION; you could not understand laws and legal mind just by reading textbooks.
[Please read the part corresponding to the lecture content in advance.]
Nobuyoshi Ashibe (Kazuyuki Takahashi) “Constitution (7th edition)” (2019, Iwanami Shoten) (Japanese)
[For beginners]
Supervised by Akira Ikegami, original work by Masanori Kadowaki, drawing by Hiroki Subiki "Manga Our Japanese Constitution" (2019, Shuei-sha)(Japanese)
[For students learning more]
Naoto Katagiri et al. "Introduction to the Constitution to One Step Ahead (2nd Editon)" (2021, Yuhikaku)(Japanese)
Toshiyuki Munesue et al. “Case Book of Fundamental Human Rights: To the World of the Constitution (6th Edition)” (2019, Yuhikaku Selection)(Japanese)
The final examination (if we can have classes in face -to-face)
OR
Term-end report with small assignments on attendance (if we have online classes)
ATTENTION: In case of online, the 8th lecture will not be held.
Whoever interested in the Constitution
The Constitution of Japan is surely a rule regulating our lives as the same of other laws, though it is often argued in political aspect in our country. I recommend to attending to my class because knowledge of the Constitution surely make you develop a sense of basic legalmind useful in your social life.
Please note: If you do not attend my class, your legal argument will not likely reach the level of standard.
Thanks.