[Special Feature: How to Confront War Crimes] Roundtable Discussion: Resisting "Rule by Force" to Protect the "Rule of Law"
Participant Profile
Tomoko Akane
President and Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC)Graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law in 1980. Appointed as a prosecutor in 1982. Served as a prosecutor at the Yokohama, Tsu, Nagoya, Sendai, and Sapporo District Public Prosecutors Offices, the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office, Chief Prosecutor of the Hakodate District Public Prosecutors Office, Prosecutor of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, and Director of the Ministry of Justice Research Centers and Institutes. Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2018. Assumed the position of President in 2024.
Tomoko Akane
President and Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC)Graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law in 1980. Appointed as a prosecutor in 1982. Served as a prosecutor at the Yokohama, Tsu, Nagoya, Sendai, and Sapporo District Public Prosecutors Offices, the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office, Chief Prosecutor of the Hakodate District Public Prosecutors Office, Prosecutor of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, and Director of the Ministry of Justice Research Centers and Institutes. Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2018. Assumed the position of President in 2024.
Aya Igarashi
Deputy Chair of the Editorial Board, The Yomiuri ShimbunGraduated from Sophia University, Faculty of Foreign Studies. Joined The Yomiuri Shimbun in 1990. Served as Prime Minister's Official Residence Captain of the Political News Department, Washington Correspondent, and Bureau Chief of the China General Bureau (Beijing). Assumed current position after serving as Director of the International News Department and Editor-in-Chief of "Chuokoron."
Aya Igarashi
Deputy Chair of the Editorial Board, The Yomiuri ShimbunGraduated from Sophia University, Faculty of Foreign Studies. Joined The Yomiuri Shimbun in 1990. Served as Prime Minister's Official Residence Captain of the Political News Department, Washington Correspondent, and Bureau Chief of the China General Bureau (Beijing). Assumed current position after serving as Director of the International News Department and Editor-in-Chief of "Chuokoron."
Hiroshi Mikami
Other : Attorney at LawOther : New York State AttorneyFaculty of Law GraduatedLaw School GraduatedKeio University alumni (2013 Law, 2016 Juris Doctor). Registered as an attorney in 2017. Member of Atsumi & Sakai. Completed New York University School of Law (LL.M. in International Legal Studies) in 2024. New York State Attorney in 2025. Training as a Visiting Expert at the International Criminal Court for one year starting from October 2024.
Hiroshi Mikami
Other : Attorney at LawOther : New York State AttorneyFaculty of Law GraduatedLaw School GraduatedKeio University alumni (2013 Law, 2016 Juris Doctor). Registered as an attorney in 2017. Member of Atsumi & Sakai. Completed New York University School of Law (LL.M. in International Legal Studies) in 2024. New York State Attorney in 2025. Training as a Visiting Expert at the International Criminal Court for one year starting from October 2024.
Philipp OSTEN (Moderator)
Faculty of Law ProfessorKeio University alumni (2002 PhD in Law). Graduated from the Humboldt University of Berlin Faculty of Law in 1999. Received PhD in Law from the same university in 2002. German Attorney in 2004. Full-time Lecturer at Keio University Faculty of Law in 2003. Assumed current position in 2012 after serving as Associate Professor. Specializes in Criminal Law and International Criminal Law.
Philipp OSTEN (Moderator)
Faculty of Law ProfessorKeio University alumni (2002 PhD in Law). Graduated from the Humboldt University of Berlin Faculty of Law in 1999. Received PhD in Law from the same university in 2002. German Attorney in 2004. Full-time Lecturer at Keio University Faculty of Law in 2003. Assumed current position in 2012 after serving as Associate Professor. Specializes in Criminal Law and International Criminal Law.
Image: International Criminal Court (ICC) (The Hague, Netherlands) [From Wikimedia Commons]
Growing Interest in International Criminal Law
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come to Mita. Today, we would like to hold a special roundtable discussion welcoming Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In June 2024, Keio University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ICC. Based on this, Keio has created a dispatch program to send Keio students to the ICC as interns, recommending two students last year and four students this year to the ICC.