Graduate Program on Human Security, the University of Tokyo (HSP), Human Rights Centre of the University of Essex and International Committee of the Red Cross are co-convening a symposium in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, in order to recognize current challenges to international humanitarian law and to create the necessary space to engage interlocutors in reflections on how we can work together towards ensuring better respect for the law of armed conflict. The symposium will start with a keynote speech by Professor Noam Lubell of University of Essex, who will discuss contemporary challenges of IHL. The keynote speech will be followed by a panel discussion with a focus on autonomous weapon systems.

The issue of autonomous weapon systems has been discussed under the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). In Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized the Group of Governmental Experts Meeting concerning Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) and the issue has been discussed widely. However, it is still unclear what this means in concrete terms. The panel discussion will focus on the technical questions on how human control can be achieved at the different stages mainly from legal perspectives but also with inputs on the technical side, thereby cultivating a better understanding of the issue and to shape deeper discussions on autonomous weapon systems.

Date and Venue

Date: 7 September 2019 (Sat), 13:00-16:30
Venue: Auditorium in Building 18, the University of Tokyo Komaba Campus

Organizers: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Graduate Program on Human Security (the University of Tokyo), Human Rights Centre (University of Essex)

Sponsors: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, Japanese Red Cross Society (TBC)

Facilitator

Hisashi Tsuya NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Commentator

Speaker

Prof. Noam Lubell Director of the Essex Armed Conflict and Crisis Hub, University of Essex (Keynote Speech)

Panelist

Ms. Mary Wareham Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch

Mr. Hideo Tomikawa Senior Fellow, National Institute for Defence Studies, Ministry of Defence

Prof. Yoshihiko Nakamura Department of Mechano-Informatics, University of Tokyo

Dr. Jan Römer Regional Legal Advisor for Asia and the Pacific Region, ICRC

※Language: English and Japanese (Simultaneous translation)

※Networking reception will be held after the symposium at University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus 

Registration

Prior registration is necessary from here.