On Wednesday, July 5, Keio University’s traditional Mita Public Speaking Event was held at the Mita Public Speaking Hall (Mita Enzetsu-kan). This was the 704th time the event was held, and on this occasion, Professor Emeritus Makoto Ida, who is also a Professor at the Chuo University Law School, gave a lecture on how criminal law changes with social change.
Professor Ida started his lecture by explaining how criminal law has changed in the last 30 years: there has been a trend to toughen penalties, toughen the law, and speed up sentencing. He said that this social factor is something we should be concerned about because there is a danger that it will lead Japanese criminal law in an undesirable direction in the future. He used examples such as the death penalty and the bill that was passed during the last Diet session, which was widely covered by the media, to explain this specifically and in a way that was easy to understand. He also talked about the appeal of criminal law, which he considers to be an interdisciplinary science relating to people and society. Even while covering this heavy topic, Professor Ida included some humor in his lecture, which entertained the audience members.
It was hot and humid on the day of the lecture, but faculty members, students, and members of the general public filled the hall to capacity, with some having to stand to hear the lecture. After the lecture, a number of questions were asked, including on specific cases of judgement, and by the end of the event, the hall was filled with excitement.