What is the Keio University Faculty of Law like?

I was born in the United States and lived in France from the ages of four to seven. Later, I attended a private combined junior and senior high school. The English classes at that high school were very interesting. Instead of studying just for tests, we learned by connecting the material to novels and historical backgrounds, touching upon the fundamental parts. I wanted to continue learning in that way at university, so I chose Keio University, which has a rich liberal arts education. What led me to aim for the Faculty of Law was my participation in Model United Nations activities when I was a high school student. High school students from all over the country took on the roles of UN ambassadors from various nations to engage in discussions and draft policies. There, I realized that reality cannot be moved by "ideals" alone. Behind policies lies the unwavering authority of the "law," which is rooted in the culture of each country. I decided I wanted to study the "law" thoroughly and become a lawyer.

I was born in Indonesia and spent 15 years there. I came to Tokyo for high school and enrolled in a metropolitan high school. This is my fourth year in Japan. Because of that background, I was interested in international relations, so I chose Keio University where I could study both law and politics. Once classes actually started, I found the history and economic history classes interesting, and I am trying to expose myself to as wide a range of subjects as possible beyond those. This is because it helps me understand what I am interested in and also builds my general knowledge. Since the general education subjects are extensive from the first to the second year, I view this as a period to accumulate a broad range of knowledge within myself.

I am from Sendai City, born and raised in Japan. I first became interested in the Faculty of Law because I admired a drama I saw as an elementary school student and wanted to become a prosecutor. However, I have a separate reason for choosing the Department of Political Science. When the voting age was lowered to 18 in 2014, I was a high school student and felt anxious about not having my own political opinions. In response, my father taught me the importance of digging deep into world affairs by asking "why?" and "how?" I chose the Faculty of Law at Keio University as a place where I could study politics and law in a balanced way so that I wouldn't become passive toward information about the world.

They are very interesting. In a class I'm taking now called "Foundations of Japanese Politics," we are looking at political methods during the war. For example, we look at it from the perspective of how the Japanese sense of belonging and insularity led to the rift between the Army and the Navy. This can be said of any country; the Holocaust in Germany is the same. People can change this much based on a single approach to politics. I believe that politics reflects the inherent temperament of a country's citizens and their thinking in each era. We tend to perceive politics as "systems" or "mechanisms," but the perspective of thinking about it in connection with the very existence of human beings is a fascination unique to university.

I joined a club called the Institute of International Relations (I.I.R) and am in charge of an exchange project with Stanford University in the United States. What I feel when talking to students from overseas is that their ways of thinking about historical facts are fundamentally different. For example, the Asian Financial Crisis, the Plaza Accord, and World War II are facts that actually happened, but the perspectives differ completely depending on which community one belongs to. Even when debating, a single view of what is "right" does not hold up. Therefore, we don't seek a conclusion, but rather deepen our thinking. That experience serves as an opportunity to broaden my own horizons.

I feel that the good thing about university is being able to study in ways I couldn't in high school. That's exactly why I also feel the responsibility of making my own choices. I belong to a law-related club, a basketball club, and a painting club, and each has different people and I encounter various values. Whether I can turn what I gain there into growth depends on my own mindset. Student life isn't infinite, so I want to form a vision for my future during my first and second years and become able to explain it in my own words. At this point, my goal is to use my background as a returnee from France to become a lawyer and serve as a bridge between Japan and France.

I am interested in the situation in East Asia and am focusing on the relationship between Japan and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). While Japan is a developed country, its working-age population will decrease due to a declining birthrate and aging population. Meanwhile, Indonesia is currently in the midst of economic development. How those two countries build a relationship could become a model case. Since that involves immigration policy and legal frameworks, it is an extension of my current studies. In fact, at the G7 Hiroshima Summit Youth Forum held this August, I worked with 60 participants from various countries to create an essay on the theme of "law" and submitted it to the Ministers of Justice of ASEAN countries. I want to continue actively participating in such venues for activity.

I am interested in political education. As I was, Japanese children have little interest in politics, don't they? I think that's because there are few opportunities to feel that politics is close to them. But in reality, our lives themselves are the result of how Japanese politics is conducted, and we are still within that system. Living without that awareness is the same as becoming unable to take responsibility for one's own country's politics despite being a democratic nation. Therefore, I want to change that current situation through education. Specifically, I want to become a national civil servant and gain strength at the front lines where politics moves. And eventually, my goal is to take a central role in changing political education in Japan. Toward that dream, I want to make every single day of my campus life fulfilling.