By MIZUHO MORIOKA/ Correspondent
April 17, 2025 at 17:56 JST
Yuji Iwasawa in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 28 (Mizuho Morioka)
Being elected to lead the U.N.'s International Court of Justice at 70 is a landmark achievement in Yuji Iwasawa's already weighty career, and it stems from a budding interest cultivated while he was in high school.
Iwasawa was first drawn to international relations during a brief period of studying in the United States—analyzing relationships between nations through laws was interesting and international law fascinated him.
After being accepted at the University of Tokyo, Iwasawa started learning English through using cassette tapes and listening to the radio; he would later seek prospects abroad while teaching at universities in Japan.
One was chairing the United Nations Human Rights Committee twice.
This central body of the United Nations monitors countries to ensure they adhere to the International Bill of Human Rights. As chair, Iwasawa needed to bring together and lead the 18 committee members, whose opinions sometimes differed.
He acknowledged the challenges but described the experience as valuable—one that would likely serve him well in his new role as president of the World Court's 15-judge pane.
Iwasawa is the second Japanese elected to lead the U.N. entity after Empress Masako's father, Hisashi Owada. With 50 years of experience in the field, he is well aware of the responsibility that accompanies the position's great authority.
"If you have worked in international law, you understand the importance of the ICJ," he said.
The ICJ has seen a rise and diversification of its caseload in recent years, with environmental issues being among the cases.
In addition to resolving conflicts between nations, the ICJ also issues advisory opinions when requested by other global organizations.
Its rulings on Gaza in Palestine and Ukraine in particular have attracted attention. And, although the court is busy to an unprecedented degree, it views this as a sign of trust.
Iwasawa believes interpreting laws in good faith and issuing high-standard rulings and advisory opinions will foster global trust and promote the “rule of law.”
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
