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Prospectus

The world of the 21st century is likely to become more multi-polar and multi-civilizational than it was in the 20th century. China and India are expected to become superpowers, rivaling the US. Such a multi-polarization of power will mean that there is a greater mix of cultures and religions in the international society. The legal regimes led by the West in the 20th century, with democracy, human rights and capitalism at their core will remain, but the voices of Asia and the Islamic world will be stronger. Western values with regard to issues such as the protection of the global environment and the relationship between human rights and religions will no longer necessarily dominate. The increasing diversification of the global community in the 21st century is a development that should be welcomed.

How will the international legal order transform itself amidst such a shift of power and values in the global community? This is an important challenge facing humankind in the 21st century. It is an urgent issue requiring serious deliberation, especially for the Asian people, who are expected to play an important role in the diversification of power and values. What should we do to bring about a desirable transformation of international law? In the past, the international legal order was led by the West. The Asian nations and peoples were limited to taking a reactive stance, merely utilizing the given systems of international law and criticizing the points with which they were dissatisfied. Such a reactive stance is not appropriate for an Asia which equals the West economically and makes arguments on an equal footing with the West. Asia needs to make its own proposals regarding the manner in which international law can support the world of the 21st century and realize the common interests of humankind. Asia must share fair and equitable responsibility for the international legal order, its ideas and systems.

The Asian Society of International Law, upon hosting its Second Biennial General Conference in Tokyo, will take up this important issue of Asia's relationship with the international legal order under the main theme of "International Law in a Multi-polar and Multi-civilizational World - Asian Perspectives, Challenges and Contributions." At the Conference, learned, experienced, aspiring international law scholars and practitioners from around the world will learn from each other, exchange views critically, and disseminate the results all over the world. We sincerely hope to see many people participate in the Conference so that it can be an opportunity to understand the law and reality of the global community, challenge its dominant premises and understandings, and make constructive proposals for the international legal order in a multi-polar and multi-civilizational world.

The Organizing Committee of the Second Biennial General Conference of the Asian Society of International Law in Tokyo

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