About Us

About Us

     The Graduate School of Law (GSL) and Faculty of Law (FL) specialize in the discipline of law while providing a variety of courses from other disciplines with an aim to nurture global human resources capable of tackling modern society issues. By offering various specialized undergraduate and graduate courses combining the disciplines of law, politics, history, international relations, GSL&FL provide a well-rounded education–knowledge to students who are planning to enter the legal profession or become public administrators, diplomats, or specialists in the private sector.

Academic Fields

Theory and History of Law | Sociology of Law | Constitutional Law | Public Law | Criminal Law | Civil Law | Commercial Law | International Law | International Relations | Political Theory | Political Process

Key Features

• A leading education system recognized nationwide

• More than 50 faculty members active in Japan and abroad

• One faculty supervising three students

• Small-size classes based on cutting-edge research

• A variety of academic programs

Research Excellence

     Our institution is in the top five top-ranked schools in the country in the area of law and political studies, with the highest funding rate in the country.*

#4 in Law
#5 in Political Science

*Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

     The faculty members who teach at the Faculty of Law at Kobe University are internationally and domestically recognized experts in their fields, who serve as chairs and directors of numerous academic societies, and are esteemed members of domestic as well as international academic societies, including The Japan Academy, an organization that accords special recognition to researchers with the most eminent records of academic and scientific achievement.

     At the same time, many faculty members greatly contribute to society by serving as examiners for various national examinations, such as the civil service examination, and as council members of the national and local governments.

Enhanced Educational System

Kobe University’s Faculty of Law offers education in a variety of academic fields related to law and politics in the highest standards, and has a nationwide top-level students’ supervision system, with a maximum of three students admitted per faculty member. The Faculty of Law consists of the three main courses:

Judicial Course

• Offers basic legal subjects

• For the future legal professionals (advanced course at law school)

Business and Administration Course

• Offers a wide range of subjects in law, international law, politics, and international relations, with a focus on a law 

• For the future employees of national or local government, or companies

Politics and International Relations Course

• Offers a wide range of subjects in basic law and international law, with a focus on politics and international relations

• For the future international civil servants, diplomats, journalists, politicians, NGO/NPO activists, as well as the private sector employees and students continuing to postgraduate or law school

Graduate School of Law consists of four courses:

Future Scholar Research Program

• Offers a training for future research experts in the areas of law and politics

Advanced Training Program for Working Professionals

• Provides an upgraded training for students continuing from the Law School for conducting political science research and utilizing it in society

• For future civil servants, diplomats, and persons involved in international organizations, media, NPOs and NGOs.

Kobe LL. M. (KIMAP in Global Business Law)

• Provides advanced education in English with interdisciplinary knowledge in business management and economics as well as specialist skills and knowledge in law.

Legal Recurrent Program

• Program designed for lawyers and students to boost their legal expertise and update their knowledge.

Additional Education Programs

     Kobe University’s Faculty of Law offers a variety of things besides the study of law and politics. One of them is “international power,” an area which has been particularly emphasized in recent years. This program enables students with an ability to play an active role in a global society.

     The Faculty of Law has concluded agreements with highly reputable overseas universities, and actively promotes bilateral student exchange programs. We provide our students with substantial support in regard to their study abroad experience, including a financial one. We are proud to say that as you walk through our campus, you can notice conversations in various languages.

     In addition to the courses in Japanese language, the Faculty of Law offers many specialized courses in English as well. Many of these courses are offered by researchers and practitioners from renowned universities abroad. In addition, we organize various additional educational activities such as internships at law firms overseas and participation in international mock arbitration contests overseas.  These programs require a high level of English skills, and therefore our school offers classes aimed at boosting such skills.

The School of Law has the following special academic programs, organized and conducted in collaboration with our partners:

Global Human Recourses and ASEAN Plus Program

      Working with leading universities in ASEAN Plus countries, we aim is to foster the next generation of network leaders who will have the ability to conduct business in Asia. Kobe University Faculty of Social Sciences, with the Faculty of Law in the center, dispatches 30 students to universities in ASEAN Plus countries and receives about 30 students from those universities annually.

EUIJ Kansai / EU Expert Human Resource Development Program

     As a member of EU Institute in Japan, Kansai (EUIJ Kansai: a consortium with Kwansei Gakuin University and Osaka University) since April 2005, Kobe University provides an educational program on the European Union and issues a certificate (the “EU Studies Certificate”) to its students upon completing course requirements.
A new EU Expert Program (KUPES) has started in 2014. In this program, 20 students are selected each year from the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of International Human Sciences to study in EU universities for five years, from the second year to master’s degree, and come back to Kobe University in five years. They also have an option to enroll in a program to get two master’s degrees (double degree program).

Journalism Program

     In this program, experienced journalists from various media institutions are invited as instructors to offer their expertise and conduct lectures.

Economic Legal Studies Program

     A joint education program with the Faculty of Economics aimed at providing interested students with comprehensive knowledge from two disciplines.

3 + 2 Law School Program

     A program created to support graduate school entry which allows students to complete the undergraduate school in three years (instead of four) and to enroll into the graduate school – the “Five Years of Law School Course (3 + 2 Program).”

Please find our pamphlet here.