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Washington International Law Journal

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Full-Text Articles in Comparative and Foreign Law

Restoration Constitutionalism In The South Pacific, Venkat Iyer Feb 2006

Restoration Constitutionalism In The South Pacific, Venkat Iyer

Washington International Law Journal

The dilemmas confronting societies which move from a period of authoritarian rule to liberal democracy have increasingly engaged the attention of academic experts and policy-makers alike. One issue which has received comparatively less notice, however, is the phenomenon of “restoration constitutionalism,” i.e. the process by which the transitional society is sought to be returned to the constitutional order that predated the authoritarian rule. Recent events in Fiji offer a good example of how this process works in practice. This article looks at the relationship between constitutionalism and transitional regimes, and argues that, where the “rupture” in a constitutional order is …


The Use Of Tandem Mass Spectrometry In Newborn Screening: Australia's Experience And Its Implications For United States Policy, Lauren E. Fisher Feb 2006

The Use Of Tandem Mass Spectrometry In Newborn Screening: Australia's Experience And Its Implications For United States Policy, Lauren E. Fisher

Washington International Law Journal

In recent years, the United States has drastically increased the number of disorders screened through its newborn screening programs. This increase is made possible by the adoption of new a technology, the tandem mass spectrometer (“MS/MS”), which allows screening of up to thirty disorders from a single drop of a newborn’s blood. However, such rapid expansion of screening raises concerns regarding the purpose of the screening, as well as the current practices in place for obtaining informed consent. Similar expansion in Australia provides a model of one approach to address these difficult questions. As the first country to begin using …


Using International Law More Effectively To Secure And Advance Indigenous Peoples' Rights: Towards Enforcement In U.S. And Australian Domestic Courts, John D. Smelcer Feb 2006

Using International Law More Effectively To Secure And Advance Indigenous Peoples' Rights: Towards Enforcement In U.S. And Australian Domestic Courts, John D. Smelcer

Washington International Law Journal

Over the past three decades, indigenous peoples have effected a remarkable redefinition of their status and rights under international law, giving rise to an emerging distinct customary international law of indigenous peoples’ rights. Though that process is ongoing, the next critical step is enforcing these congealing rights “at home” in the domestic courts of indigenous peoples’ surrounding nations. Australia and the United States provide the most difficult and most revealing contexts in which to explore the possibilities and limitations of this necessary next step. The direct enforcement of the emerging customary international law of indigenous peoples’ rights is not yet …


The Japanese Antimonopoly Act And Nonassertion Of Patents Provisions: Microsoft's Conflict With The Japan Fair Trade Commission, Courtney E. Mertes Jun 2005

The Japanese Antimonopoly Act And Nonassertion Of Patents Provisions: Microsoft's Conflict With The Japan Fair Trade Commission, Courtney E. Mertes

Washington International Law Journal

In recent decades, Japan has strengthened its antimonopoly regulations. Now, a country that historically favored internal collusion continues to develop a stringent antimonopoly regime that encourages competition. The Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") enforces the Japanese Act Concerning the Prohibition of Private Monopoly and the Maintenance of Fair Trade ("Antimonopoly Act") and its provisions dealing with unfair trade practices. The JFTC takes a strong stance in enforcement of the Act and violators follow its recommendations. The JFTC has charged Microsoft Corporation ("Microsoft") with abuse of a dominant bargaining position and unfair trade practices in its use of restrictive provisions, such …


State Responsibility And Maritime Terrorism In The Strait Of Malacca: Persuading Indonesia And Malaysia To Take Additional Steps To Secure The Strait, Tammy M. Sittnick Jun 2005

State Responsibility And Maritime Terrorism In The Strait Of Malacca: Persuading Indonesia And Malaysia To Take Additional Steps To Secure The Strait, Tammy M. Sittnick

Washington International Law Journal

The Strait of Malacca, located between Indonesia and Malaysia, and opening into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Singapore, is not only one of the world's busiest and most vital waterways, but also a likely target for maritime terrorists. High levels of piracy and the presence of numerous regional terrorist organizations suggest the Strait is particularly vulnerable to a maritime terrorist attack. Such an attack would significantly disrupt international trade and could inflict billions of dollars in damage to the global economy. Primary responsibility for the security of the Strait lies with the coastal states of Indonesia, Malaysia, and …


Extreme Policy Makeover: Re-Evaluating Current U.S.-Vietnam Relations Under The International Religious Freedom Act, Kevin V. Tu Jun 2005

Extreme Policy Makeover: Re-Evaluating Current U.S.-Vietnam Relations Under The International Religious Freedom Act, Kevin V. Tu

Washington International Law Journal

Following the signing of the Paris Peace Accord in 1973, the relationship between the United States and Vietnam remained essentially frozen. In 2000, the signing of the United States-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement was an epic step in the normalization of relations. In addition, the BTA was hailed as a means of effectuating positive change in the area of Vietnam's human rights. Unfortunately, the state of religious freedom in Vietnam has deteriorated while economic ties with the United States have strengthened. Despite Vietnam's purported respect for religious freedom, violations continue. Vietnam restricts the practice of religion, detains religious leaders, and tolerates …


Enriching The Land Or The Political Elite? Lessons From China On Democratization Of The Urban Renewal Process, Pamela N. Phan Jun 2005

Enriching The Land Or The Political Elite? Lessons From China On Democratization Of The Urban Renewal Process, Pamela N. Phan

Washington International Law Journal

As China in the twenty-first century rushes ahead in its quest to become more developed and cosmopolitan, the poor are increasingly cast as outsiders to the nation's new social contract and urban development politics. Nowhere is the contrast between China's urban rich and rural poor as stark as on the land itself. In cities throughout China, land continues to be taken away from the collective and placed into the hands of an increasingly rich and powerful elite. As a new society built upon urban poverty, exclusion, and inequality emerges, and the gap between rich and poor widens, the new political …


Australia's Damaging International Trade Practice: The Case Against Cruelty To Greyhounds, Alison G. Jones Jun 2005

Australia's Damaging International Trade Practice: The Case Against Cruelty To Greyhounds, Alison G. Jones

Washington International Law Journal

The Australian greyhound racing industry is capitalizing on newly emerging markets in countries such as China and South Korea. The industry's drive to profit from promoting greyhound racing in these countries has put the welfare of greyhounds at risk. By exporting these dogs to China and South Korea, Australia is violating the spirit and general intent of its own animal cruelty laws, which guard against the type of animal abuse that occurs largely unchecked in those countries. Therefore, Australia should put an end to such exports as soon as possible. Under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ("GATT"), Australia …


Regulation On Sino-Foreign Cooperation In Making Television Programs, Litong Chen Jun 2005

Regulation On Sino-Foreign Cooperation In Making Television Programs, Litong Chen

Washington International Law Journal

The Chinese Government traditionally has believed that the voices of adversaries, whether foreign or domestic, should not be heard. The Preamble to the Chinese Constitution states that, "The Chinese people must fight against those forces and elements, both at home and abroad, that are hostile to China's socialist system and try to undermine it."' The beachhead which has been regarded as most critical for the Communist Party of China ("CPC") to defend is China's mass media—the CPC's mouthpiece for its ideological rhetoric. Conventionally, the best way to keep a beachhead is to repel the enemy from its shores. Historically, China …


Follow The Leader?: Japan Should Formally Abolish The Execution Of The Mentally Retarded In The Wake Of Atkins V. Virginia, Simon H. Fisherow Apr 2005

Follow The Leader?: Japan Should Formally Abolish The Execution Of The Mentally Retarded In The Wake Of Atkins V. Virginia, Simon H. Fisherow

Washington International Law Journal

Japan is the only industrialized democracy in the world to not explicitly proscribe the execution of the mentally retarded. In the face of opposition from both international bodies and non-governmental organizations, Japan persists in engaging in a practice condemned by both international law and the laws of the vast majority of the world's nations. Even the United States, a nation that remains staunchly pro-death penalty, abandoned its practice of executing the mentally retarded in 2002 due to the emergence of a national consensus against the practice. This Comment examines Japan's use of the death penalty and its imposition on mentally …


Ethical Standards Of Japanese Lawyers: Translation Of The Ethics Codes For Six Categories Of Legal Service Providers, Kyoko Ishida Apr 2005

Ethical Standards Of Japanese Lawyers: Translation Of The Ethics Codes For Six Categories Of Legal Service Providers, Kyoko Ishida

Washington International Law Journal

Today, Japanese attorneys and so-called "quasi-lawyers" (jun hōritsuka) face significant regulatory reforms to the legal services they provide. The justice system reform (shihō seido kaikaku) significantly expanded the scope of practice for quasi-lawyers in order to meet the country's growing need for legal assistance. Also, in November 2004 attorneys established new ethical standards which also apply to registered foreign business attorneys for the preparation of upcoming increase of population of attorneys. In contrast to the United States, where attorneys provide legal services almost exclusively, there are several licensed legal service providers other than attorneys (bengoshi …


Forsaking The Forests For The Trees: Forestry Law In Papua New Guinea Inhibits Indigenous Customary Ownership, Alyssa A. Vegter Apr 2005

Forsaking The Forests For The Trees: Forestry Law In Papua New Guinea Inhibits Indigenous Customary Ownership, Alyssa A. Vegter

Washington International Law Journal

Illegal logging in the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea is one of the greatest threats to the forests and indigenous people of this island nation. Increasing pressure from the commercial logging industry, legislation that restrains customary ownership, and an unclear legal basis for this ownership subjects the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea to unscrupulous, unsustainable, and illegal logging practices. As a region central to the preservation of global ecological and cultural diversity, the devastating consequences of illegal logging in Papua New Guinea have become nationally and internationally significant. Customary ownership of the forests by the indigenous clans of …


China's War On Graft: Politico-Legal Campaigns Against Corruption In China And Their Similarities To The Legal Reactions To Crisis In The U.S., Benjamin Van Rooij Apr 2005

China's War On Graft: Politico-Legal Campaigns Against Corruption In China And Their Similarities To The Legal Reactions To Crisis In The U.S., Benjamin Van Rooij

Washington International Law Journal

In the last two decades, China organized political campaigns to fight corruption. Such campaigns led to an increased prosecution of high-profile cases involving high-level officials. Perceived corruption in China, however, has not decreased as a result, because the campaigns failed to address widespread lower-level incidents. China's political campaigns against corruption—the politico-legal campaigns—are an example of the use of political methods to enhance the legal system. China has organized several politico-legal campaigns to promote public awareness of legal issues and combat crimes, including illegal drug trade, copyright infringements, and environmental violations. The Chinese politico-legal campaigns show that China needs its effective …


Stepping Onto A Moving Train: The Collision Of Illegal Logging, Forestry Policy, And Emerging Free Trade In The Russian Far East, Robert M. Crowley Apr 2005

Stepping Onto A Moving Train: The Collision Of Illegal Logging, Forestry Policy, And Emerging Free Trade In The Russian Far East, Robert M. Crowley

Washington International Law Journal

Faced with economic decline following the Soviet Union's collapse, Russia is energetically seeking ways to develop its economy and stimulate trade. In order to accomplish these goals, Russia has taken a number of steps to improve its interactions with its trading partners and reform its internal economic structures. Among the most sweeping areas of change are Russia's steps toward bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements and the proposed changes to its Forest Code. Externally, Russia has signed an agreement with China to stabilize relations, increase trade, and address shared environmental concerns, and has taken steps toward membership in the World …


Up In Smoke: Using Cooperative U.S. Forest Fire Management Policies As A Model For Implementing An Effective Forest Fire Prevention Program In The Russian Far East, Jim Wilkson Apr 2005

Up In Smoke: Using Cooperative U.S. Forest Fire Management Policies As A Model For Implementing An Effective Forest Fire Prevention Program In The Russian Far East, Jim Wilkson

Washington International Law Journal

The Russian Far East's ("RFE") most abundant natural resource is its vast, relatively unbroken tracts of boreal forest. Wildfires are the largest cause of deforestation in the RFE. Rampant fires in the RFE threaten biodiversity and wildlife habitat, destroy timber reserves, and create pollution and greenhouse gases. Experts estimate that between eighty to ninety percent of these fires are human-caused. However, Russian forestry laws fail to provide the type of legal framework necessary to adequately address these preventable fires. Forest management legislation mandating more comprehensive and cooperative fire prevention could prevent disastrous forest fires in the RFE. U.S. fire management …


U.S. Economic Sanctions Against North Korea: An Unsuccessful And Sanctimonious Policy Ripe For Modification, Karen M. Takishita Apr 2005

U.S. Economic Sanctions Against North Korea: An Unsuccessful And Sanctimonious Policy Ripe For Modification, Karen M. Takishita

Washington International Law Journal

The United States designated North Korea as a state supporter of terrorism under the Export Administration Act of 1979, after the North Korean bombing of a Korean Airlines flight in 1987. As a result, the United States imposed tough economic sanctions against North Korea. Today, North Korea retains the designation of a state supporter of terrorism as a result of its weapons trade, even though it is not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since 1987. The United States' designation of a state as a supporter of terrorism is arbitrary as no standard is set out in the U.S. …


Computer Crime And Control In Hong Kong, Kam C. Wong Apr 2005

Computer Crime And Control In Hong Kong, Kam C. Wong

Washington International Law Journal

This Article is a first attempt to study cyberspace governance and computer crime control in Hong Kong. It begins with a discussion of how computer crime was "discovered" as a cognizable object of control. Next, it explores the nature, prevalence and distribution of computer crime in Hong Kong before embarking on a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the Hong Kong government's cyberspace governance philosophy and computer crime control policy. The Article closes with a number of recommendations for improving Hong Kong cyberspace governance, which focus on developing a broad, overarching policy that both meets the public's goals and addresses …


Treading Deep Waters: Substantive Law Issues In Tuvalu's Threat To Sue The United States In The International Court Of Justice, Rebecca Elizabeth Jacobs Jan 2005

Treading Deep Waters: Substantive Law Issues In Tuvalu's Threat To Sue The United States In The International Court Of Justice, Rebecca Elizabeth Jacobs

Washington International Law Journal

In 2002, in response to the United States' refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, vulnerable to submersion due to the rising sea level, threatened to bring a lawsuit against the United States in the International Court of Justice for damages to its island. Outside of various jurisdictional issues that may preempt the suit, Tuvalu's suit will likely have a number of substantive law problems. Tuvalu must show not only that the United States is unlawfully causing the island damage, but also that it has a right to future damages that have yet to occur. …


The Private Sector Amendment To Australia's Privacy Act: A First Step On The Road To Privacy, Alexandra T. Mckay Jan 2005

The Private Sector Amendment To Australia's Privacy Act: A First Step On The Road To Privacy, Alexandra T. Mckay

Washington International Law Journal

Global and national transfers of personal information and data protection laws meant to regulate such transfers will have a significant impact on the growing Internet. Yet vastly different philosophies on how to protect individuals' personal information from theft or misuse by the private sector have led to very different regulatory models throughout the world. In the industrialized world, the European Union's approach, a universally applicable, comprehensive data protection law, occupies one end of the regulatory spectrum, while a self-regulatory scheme like the United States' stakes out the other end. Australia's Private Sector Privacy Act Amendment ("2000 Amendment") lies somewhere in …


Caught Between A Rock And A Soft Place: Regulating Legal Ethics To Police Corporate Governance In The United States And Hong Kong, Susan E. Carroll Jan 2005

Caught Between A Rock And A Soft Place: Regulating Legal Ethics To Police Corporate Governance In The United States And Hong Kong, Susan E. Carroll

Washington International Law Journal

Both the United States and Hong Kong have suffered through corporate governance scandals in recent years. The two nations have tried different methods of regulating legal ethics in order to curtail future corporate governance scandals. The United States, via the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, empowered the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to dictate disclosure requirements to U.S. lawyers who represent listed corporations. This mandate creates conflicts between lawyers' duty to keep clients' secrets and their duty to disclose client information for the protection of public interests. Hong Kong took a completely different approach. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange negotiated the …


Online Music Piracy: Can American Solutions Be Exported To The People's Republic Of China To Protect American Music?, Jolene Lau Marshall Jan 2005

Online Music Piracy: Can American Solutions Be Exported To The People's Republic Of China To Protect American Music?, Jolene Lau Marshall

Washington International Law Journal

Online music piracy is a major problem in the United States and a growing problem in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"). Despite awareness of the roots of the problem, the responses of the American government and recording industry have enjoyed only mixed success. The most effective ways of combating online music piracy have been the legal pursuit of individual copyright infringers and the emergence of fee-based download services. In light of the differences in social background, laws, enforcement structure, and cultural beliefs between the United States and the PRC, simply transplanting American responses to online music piracy to the …


The Vietnamese Judiciary: The Politics Of Appointment And Promotion, Penelope (Pip) Nicholson, Nguyen Hung Quang Jan 2005

The Vietnamese Judiciary: The Politics Of Appointment And Promotion, Penelope (Pip) Nicholson, Nguyen Hung Quang

Washington International Law Journal

This Article contends that while the Vietnamese judiciary and court system have been the subject of not insignificant reforms over the last two years, they remain political institutions. More particularly, our analysis of the manner and criteria for the appointment and dismissal of judicial officers characterizes these officers as having to act within the auspices of the Communist Party of Vietnam, despite reforms having been introduced that cast the courts as more independent.


The Heart Of Fiji's Land Tenure Conflict: The Law Of Tradition And Vakavanua, The Customary "Way Of The Land", John Crosetto Jan 2005

The Heart Of Fiji's Land Tenure Conflict: The Law Of Tradition And Vakavanua, The Customary "Way Of The Land", John Crosetto

Washington International Law Journal

In an effort to ease racial tension and the resulting political unrest, recent law reform in Fiji has focused on land tenure. Political coups in the wake of expiring agricultural leases demonstrate that the current tenure system fails to provide the security and predictability demanded by both Fijian owners and Indian tenants. Current law reform theory advocates adapting the rule of law to the local context to promote human rights and self-determination. A problem lies, however, in identifying the institutions and interests that define Fiji's local context. In addition to the country's divided ethnic population, Fiji's "tradition" is largely defined …


Aboriginal Title And Extinguishment Not So "Clear And Plain": A Comparison Of The Current Maori And Haida Experiences, Jacqueline F. Pruner Jan 2005

Aboriginal Title And Extinguishment Not So "Clear And Plain": A Comparison Of The Current Maori And Haida Experiences, Jacqueline F. Pruner

Washington International Law Journal

As the end of the United Nations General Assembly's International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples (1995-2004) approaches, indigenous peoples worldwide are proactively seeking an unprecedented reclamation of aboriginal rights lost since European colonization. One of the most all-encompassing rights that is asserted by indigenous peoples is the right of "indigenous title," a legal term of art that is both difficult to define and challenging to recognize. Notwithstanding domestic opposition from their respective provincial or national legislatures, both the Haida of Canada and the Maori of New Zealand are currently pursuing recognition of this indigenous right through their respective judiciaries. …


The Duty To Support An Aged Parent In Singapore, Wing-Cheong Chan Jun 2004

The Duty To Support An Aged Parent In Singapore, Wing-Cheong Chan

Washington International Law Journal

When the legislation to impose a financial obligation on adult children to provide for their aged parents was introduced in Singapore in 1994, it generated heated public debate which polarized the population. Several criticisms of this proposal emerged: it subsumed the Asian value of filial piety in a legalistic, Western framework; it was unnecessary given the small number of parents being neglected by their children; and it was an undesirable intrusion into family life. Nonetheless, the proposal managed to gain enough Parliamentary support to be referred to a Select Committee. Several adjustments to the proposed legislation were made to take …


Digital Age Standard Form Contracts Under Austalian Law: "Wrap" Agreements, Exclusive Jurisdiction, And Binding Arbitration Clauses, John Adams Jun 2004

Digital Age Standard Form Contracts Under Austalian Law: "Wrap" Agreements, Exclusive Jurisdiction, And Binding Arbitration Clauses, John Adams

Washington International Law Journal

Despite the widespread use of end user agreements ("EULAs") within international e-commerce, their enforceability under Australian law has yet to be adjudicated. Legislative reform and judicial clarification of contract standards may be required for Australian courts to validate the methods of standard form contracting used in the digital age. While existing Anglo-Australian nules regarding contract formation may be adequate to enforce EULAs, the doctrine of privity presents an unnecessary and outdated barrier to the enforcement. Accordingly, the Australian legislature should abolish the doctrine of privity. In addition, Australian courts must clarify what type of notice is required for onerous contractual …


Gay Marriage: Analyzing Legal Strategies For Reform In Hong Kong And The United States, Robin A. Warren Jun 2004

Gay Marriage: Analyzing Legal Strategies For Reform In Hong Kong And The United States, Robin A. Warren

Washington International Law Journal

Like many countries, both the United States and Hong Kong face the question of whether to legalize gay marriage due to social, legal, and political forces within and beyond their borders. The legalization of same-sex marriage in one jurisdiction forces other jurisdictions to decide whether to recognize marriages celebrated there. Comparing the current state of U.S. and Hong Kong law reveals that only a direct challenge to discriminatory marriage laws will successfully effect change. Two U.S. state supreme court decisions provide examples of effective legal arguments in a direct challenge. Conflict of laws analysis for marriage and the public policy …


No More Waiting For Revolution: Japan Should Take Positive Action To Implement The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, M. Christina Luera Jun 2004

No More Waiting For Revolution: Japan Should Take Positive Action To Implement The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, M. Christina Luera

Washington International Law Journal

In 1985, Japan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ("CEDAW"), which requires the eradication of all legal, political, social and cultural structures that prevent women from enjoying full equality with men. Under CEDAW, Japan is legally obligated to strive for actual, not just formal, equality between men and women. CEDAW also requires States Parties to take positive action to achieve gender equality. Despite the Japanese government's apparent efforts to comply with CEDAW over the last two decades, gender equality remains a distant reality. On July 8, 2003, the Committee on the …


The Australian National Representative System Of Marine Protected Areas And The Marine Zoning System: A Model For The United States?, Jennifer L. Schorr Jun 2004

The Australian National Representative System Of Marine Protected Areas And The Marine Zoning System: A Model For The United States?, Jennifer L. Schorr

Washington International Law Journal

Marine Protected Areas ("MPAs") are increasingly recognized as a critical component of marine conservation. MPAs are areas of the marine ecosystem set aside for special protection and management in order to conserve biological or cultural resources. MPAs manage the use of marine resources by limiting or controlling activities within the area. Marine reserves, the most restrictive type of MPA, severely limit or forbid all extractive activities. Scientific research has demonstrated that MPAs, especially marine reserves, can have rapid and long-term benefits for biological diversity, lead to recovery of specific species, and may have a "spill over" effect that benefits adjacent …


The Japanese Law Concerning The Special Measures On Humanitarian And Reconstruction Assistance In Iraq: Translator's Introduction, Mika Hayashi Jun 2004

The Japanese Law Concerning The Special Measures On Humanitarian And Reconstruction Assistance In Iraq: Translator's Introduction, Mika Hayashi

Washington International Law Journal

The legal framework concerning Japan's physical contribution to international peace and security through the presence of its Self-Defense Forces abroad underwent ad hoc changes twice since the beginning of the Twenty-First Century. The first change was brought about by the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the second was the result of the war in Iraq in 2003. In both cases, Japan enacted laws that specifically enabled the Self-Defense Forces to operate abroad: the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law and the Law concerning the Special Measures on Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance in Iraq, respectively. The latter and most recent legislation, …