Introduction
Article I of the Outer Space Treaty, 1967 (“OST”) guarantees that the exploration and use of outer space “shall be the province of all mankind” and free to all States. Article II, in the same breath, prohibits “national appropriation
Multiple Governments Issue Joint Alert on North Korean IT Workers
On July 31, 2026, authorities from the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom issued a joint alert warning countries, companies, and other entities about the threat
Witte's Foreword to Law and Christianity in Japan: The Legacy of the Great Jurists
John Witte, Emory University School of Law, is published “Foreword” to Law and Christianity in Japan: The Legacy of the Great Jurists (Grzegorz Blicharz, Kevin Doak, and Jonghyu Jeong, eds., Routledge, forthcoming 2026). Here is the abstract.
This is a
"And she said she spent her limited free time ironing undergarments, sewing fraying skirts and reinforcing loose jacket buttons."
Longer duration of protection for plant variety rights in Japan and New Zealand
It’s the season for extending the duration of plant variety rights (PVR) protection, apparently. After South Africa and Canada’s recent amendments to increase the duration of protection (see IPKat here and here), the trend has now arrived in Japan and
Whose permission counts? Rethinking abortion access through the lens of authorization
By Shizuko Takahashi
A law permits abortion. A court has ruled, or a legislature has voted. Legality appears settled. But for the pregnant person in front of a clinician, legality is often not enough. Someone still has to authorize the
How Shareholder Activism in the U.S. and Japan Converged
In a recently published paper I argue that the recent surge in shareholder activism in Japan is not simply the product of Japanese policy reforms. Rather, it results from a convergence of two parallel historical trajectories: a decades-long evolution of
What a Japanese Television Drama Teaches Musicians About Band Agreements
In Quartet, the Japanese television drama about a string quartet called Quartet Doughnuts Hole, Maki, Suzume, Iemori, and Beppu meet in a Tokyo karaoke bar. Maki, a semi-retired professional, plays first violin. Beppu plays second violin, Iemori plays viola, and
BESS and the Japan Power Market The Current State of Play at LTDA Auction Round 3
Japan’s Long-Term Decarbonization Power Source Auction Round 3 results signal a maturing BESS market, with stricter eligibility requirements, evolving balancing market regulations, and emerging co-location opportunities changing the investment landscape for energy storage developers.
There is "a soft toy called the Monster Wolf Mini that is intended to scare off Japan’s increasingly aggressive bears and can be carried by hikers."
“The plushie, which can be attached to a bag or clothing, has glowing eyes and a built-in speaker that plays growling sounds at an adjustable volume…. That robot looks like a cross between Beelzebub and Basil Brush, with shaggy fur,