Before Japan commenced full-scale legal technical assistance, Western nations and international organizations had been actively involved.

Japan is a latecomer in providing legal technical assistance. Even though our pace is slow, we are hoping to gradually gain their trust. According to Mr. Akira Mikazuki, a former Minister of Justice, "it is impossible to obtain excellent results in just one or two years. Rather than pursue short-term goals, we should consider the outcome a hundred years from now."

There is a possibility that if we proceed with an assistance program that ignores the societal structure of the recipient, the resulting legal framework might be worthless when they attempt to legislate.

When we provide support, we must be careful not to ignore the recipient country's situation, historical background and the cultural differences.
Because when they enact legislation, it is possible that they may not be able function according to the law.

If Japan takes the initiative to integrate a regional economy similar to the EU or NAFTA, do you think it would be possible to enact laws common to all Asian nations?

If the situation emerges which would enable the unification of the the legal framework of the region, it would occur when circumstances requires it. If Asian countries develop further and integration of economies proceeds, the need would arise to construct a common rule to expand the overall economy. If we suddenly construct a legal framework without taking into consideration the social background or differences in economic power, there is the possibility that it might not function. At the same time, if we take an initiative in constructing a common East Asian law without the consent from others, neighboring Asian nations might interpret this as domination and be repulsed by the idea. Furthermore, if we are perceived as pursuing national interest by compelling others to enact certain laws, I cannot imagine that it would work well. Subsequently, rather than trying to rapidly transform a country into something we feel that it is important to support their development, we need to take the time to consider each individual situation.