Legal Education for the Next Generation: Ideas from America

A historical comparison of Japanese and American legal education systems shows distinct differences in historical mission, teaching methodology, student diversity, and curricular content. More thorough analysis of the two systems indicates that legal education in Japan tends to be highly academic and code-intensive, while American law schools exist primarily to produce lawyers through independent analytical thinking and practical application. The author draws upon personal experiences in both Japanese and American systems to suggest how certain aspects of the American legal education system might be used to help foster a more effective and successful new generation of political, business, and social leaders for Japan.