ANJeL Canberra Seminar strengthens Australia–Japan legal connections

Source: https://law.anu.edu.au/news-and-events/news/anjel-canberra-seminar-strengthens-australia-japan-legal-connections Parent: https://law.anu.edu.au/

12 March 2026

“On behalf of the student leaders, the Canberra Seminar was a truly fantastic and joyful two weeks. We really want to thank Associate Professor Heather Roberts for entrusting us to do it justice and for giving us the opportunity to partake, and the visiting professors for their support. We really valued the bond that we had with our Japanese peers in the short period of time spent together, and we will cherish the memories of the 2026 Canberra Seminar. To the yasashii visiting law students, we look forward to hopefully seeing you in Japan one day. Arigato gozamaisu. Matane!”

—ANU student leaders Aidan Harris, Alison Cook, and Declan Thomas

From 9 to 20 February, ANU Law School welcomed 25 visiting students from Aoyama Gakuin University (Tokyo) and Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto) for the 2026 Australian Network for Japanese Law (ANJeL) Canberra Seminar - a two‑week intensive introducing Japanese law students to Australian legal institutions, history and doctrine.

The long-running program, hosted annually at ANU Law School, immerses students in academic learning alongside hands‑on engagement with significant legal and civic institutions. This year’s cohort undertook guided visits to the High Court of Australia, the ACT Supreme Court, Old Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and Gold Creek Station. Each visit offered insights into the evolution of Australian law and governance, providing valuable context for in‑class discussions.

Throughout the seminar, ANU student leaders Aidan Harris, Alison Cook, and Declan Thomas worked alongside academic staff to support learning and provide pre‑lecture briefings. Their tutorials covered a wide range of topics, including federalism, Australian constitutional law, criminal law, torts, human rights law, contract law and Indigenous law.

At the seminar's conclusion, visiting students presented group research projects comparing Japanese and Australian legal principles. Topics ranged from the “reasonably foreseeable” test in negligence to the doctrine of consideration in contract law, and even constitutional questions raised by the Commonwealth Government’s recent under‑16 social media ban. The presentations demonstrated strong legal reasoning and sophisticated comparative analysis.

The student leaders described the teaching experience as one of the highlights of their involvement. “The program gave us a chance not only to deepen our own understanding of the law,” they noted, “but to learn from our Japanese peers and exchange perspectives across legal cultures.”

This year’s program was enriched by the visiting academics: Professor Wataru Sato, Associate Professor Stephanie Coop and Associate Professor Linkai Yang. Dr Keiko Tamura also contributed a detailed and insightful lecture on Japanese history, adding cultural depth to the legal curriculum.

ANU Law School’s Associate Professor Heather Roberts oversaw the program’s coordination, ensuring the visiting cohort experienced both academic rigour and meaningful cultural exchange. Her organisation and dedication were central to the success of the seminar.

The three ANU student leaders wished to share a personal message of thanks:

The Canberra Seminar will run again in February 2027 and current ANU Law students interested in participating should contact Associate Professor Heather Roberts to express their interest.

Written by student leaders for the Seminar: Aidan Harris, Alison Cook, and Declan Thomas.