(From “Preface”)
Legal education systems are undergoing changes as globalization progresses. In the case of Japan, after a new law school system was established in 2004, major law schools introduced legal education programs that included international exchange programs and classes and seminars taught in English. We have achieved results to some extent, but most of the international legal education in Japan depends on outbound programs, such as exchange study programs in law schools in the U.S. From the view point of fostering global legal education, Japanese legal education is lagging behind.

This is why we launched joint legal education programs with our partner universities in Mekong region countries. The uniqueness of this program is that we share the issues confronting our partner universities as a result of their historical, geographical and cultural backgrounds. We call this the Program for Asian Global Legal Professions (PAGLEP). PAGLEP aims to foster global legal professionals who can take strong leadership in finding solutions to legal issues occuring in globalizing societies.

We are doing research on how we can improve legal education in Asia. This book is the first compilation of our research activities and introduces comparative legal education in the Mekong region countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, as well as Japan. I hope this volume will become the basis for strengthening our collaboration and expanding our network into the future.

PREFACE
Naoya Katayama

INTRODUCTION
WHY AND HOW SHOULD COMPARATIVE LEGAL EDUCATION BE PROMOTED IN AN
ASIAN CONTEXT?
Hiroshi Matsuo

1. The Significance of Legal Education in Asia
2. Theoretical Perspectives on Comparative Legal Education
3. Practical Approaches to Comparative Legal Education
4. From Static and Macro Comparisons to Dynamic and Micro Comparisons

COUNTRY REPORTS
Chapter 1:　CURRENT LEGAL EDUCATION IN HANOI LAW UNIVERSITY: Its Challenges
and Prospects
Phan Thi Lan Huong

1. Current status of legal education in Hanoi Law University
2. Challenges
3. The need for comparative legal education in Vietnam

Chapter 2:　LEGAL EDUCATION IN JAPAN AND VIETNAM: A Comparative Approach
Shohei Sugita

1. Introduction
2. Differing Approaches to Legal Education in Japan and Vietnam
3. The Judicial System in Japan and Legal Education
4. The Judicial System in Vietnam and Legal Education
5. Significance of Varying Approaches to Legal Education
6. Comparative Perspective of Legal Education in Vietnam and Japan

Chapter 3:　LEGAL EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM
Nguyen Ngoc Dien

1. General characteristics of legal education
2. Access to legal education
3. Training development
4. Post-training phase

Chapter 4:　CAMBODIAN LEGAL SYSTEM AND LEGAL EDUCATION
Kong Phallack

1. Overview of Cambodian Legal System
2. Sources of Law in Cambodia
3. Overview of Cambodian Judicial System
4. Overview of Cambodian Alternative Dispute Resolution System
5. Cambodian Legal Professions
6. Legal Education

Chapter 5:　LEGAL EDUCATION AT THE FACULTY OF LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE,
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LAOS
Viengvilay Thiengchanhxay

1. Current Status of Legal Education in the Faculty of Law and Political Science,
National University of Laos
2. Challenges
3. The Need to Improve Legal Education in Laos
4. Conclusion

Chapter 6:　THAI LEGAL EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES
Noppadon Detsomboonrut

1. Background of Thai Legal System
2. Thai Educational System in General
3. Thai Legal Educational System
4. Thai Legal Educational System Universities

Chapter 7:　LEGAL EDUCATION IN MYANMAR
Khin Mar Yee

1. Legal Education in the Past
2. Present Legal Education
3. Legal Education in the Future

Chapter 8:　CURRENT STATUS OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES: JAPAN
Rikako Watai

1. Current Status of Legal Education in Japan
2. Keio University Law School: LL.M. in Global Legal Practice
3. Conclusion: Legal Education at Keio University Law School

COMMENT
ANALYTICAL VERSUS SUBSTANTIVE APPROACHES IN AMERICAN AND JAPANESE
LAW SCHOOLS
A. Reid Monroe-Sheridan

1. Introduction
2. Comparison of Approaches
3. Law School as Preparation of Legal Practice
4. Explaining the Emphasis on Black Letter Law
5. Possible Solutions

ON-SITE REPORT
FROM LAW CLASSROOMS IN ASIAN UNIVERSITIES: Short Report on The Collaboration
Program in Vietnam and Cambodia
Hiroshi Matsuo and Hitomi Fukasawa

MATERIAL
DURATION OF THE SEMESTER

INDEX

ABOUT KEIGLAD
ABOUT THE AUTHORS