Japan and its Relations with its Maritime Neighbours - Prof Kentaro Nishimoto

New Zealand Centre for Public Law and New Zealand Institute of International Affairs

Public Lecture by Professor Kentaro Nishimoto

As an island nation in a geopolitically complex region, Japan has faced many challenges in managing its relations with its neighbours at sea. The seas between Japan and the Asian continent have been subject to overlapping claims with with other States, but remain largely undelimited, with little prospect of a boundary agreement in the foreseeable future.

How has Japan handled its relations with its maritime neighbours in this situation? What are the future challenges? The lecture will address these questions with a focus on international law. The discussion will provide an overview of the existing maritime disputes, examine how bilateral arrangements have contributed to managing tensions, and consider possible means for responding to future challenges.

Kentaro Nishimoto, Tohoku University

Kentaro NISHIMOTO is Professor of International Law at the School of Law, Tohoku University and Arctic Environment Research Center, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan. His current research focuses on the international law of the sea, including the history of the law of the sea, sustainable development of ocean resources, and the settlement of maritime disputes. He has advised the government of Japan in various capacities, including as an advisor to the Japanese delegation to the intergovernmental conference on a new treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and as a member of the Advisory Board on the Extension of the Continental Shelf at the Secretariat of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy.