Japanese British Lawyers Reception

 
On 5 February, Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki co-hosted the Japanese British Lawyers Reception alongside the British Japanese Law Association (BJLA).

The reception was held with the aim of promoting mutual understanding and interaction among Japanese and the UK lawyers. This marked the seventh time the event has been held. Approximately 140 participants attended, including the Lord Reed, the President of the UK Supreme Court, alongside British and Japanese lawyers, representatives from the UK government and Parliament, academics, as well as UK-based Japanese judges, prosecutors, and lawyers.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Suzuki referred to recent cooperation between Japan and the UK in the legal and judicial field and emphasised the importance of the two countries working together to uphold the international order based on the rule of law at a time of great uncertainty.

In his remarks, Lord Reed, the president of the UK Supreme Court, referred to the role that the BJLA has played in fostering the partnership between Japanese and British legal professionals. He warned against the growing prevalence of rule by force and emphasised the importance of cooperation between Japan and the UK in promoting the rule of law.

Professor Chizu Nakajima, Co-Chair of the BJLA, spoke on the history of the BJLA and emphasised the importance of cooperation in the legal and justice field between Japan and the UK, grounded in strong people-to-people ties.