The Change in the Function and the Scope of Application of the Law of Armed Conflict in the 21st Century

今天，对国际人道主义法或武装冲突法的理论和实践的研究比以往任何时候都更加重要，但令人遗憾的是，日本尚未在这方面作出充分努力。每个项目参与者都侧重于一个具体问题，将该主题的相关问题分开，如在武装冲突中应保护的物体、允许或禁止的战争手段、违反战争法的后果以及与武装冲突有关的环境保护问题。我们认为，我们已经系统地讨论了所有相关问题，去年以来，我们举行了多次研讨会，与大量国际法专家和学者进行了深入讨论。今年讨论的具体专题包括各种问题，如刑事起诉豁免、海洋法与海战法之间的关系、国际人道主义法与国际人权法之间的相互作用。另外，部分课题组成员还到国外采访了多位学者，目前正在申请科研成果发表资助金，以发表我们的研究成果。我们希望它将于2004年秋季出版。

Study on the theory and practice of international humanitarian law or the law of armed conflict is ever more important today, while it is regrettable that no sufficient efforts have yet been made on the subject in Japan. Each of the project participants focused on a specific problem by dividing the relevant issues of the subject such as the objects to be protected in the armed conflict, permissive or prohibitive means of warfare, and consequences of violation of laws of war and on the protection of the environment in tune of armed conflict. We consider that we have covered all the pertinent issues in a systematic way.We have held several study meetings since the previous year, where we had in-depth discussions with a large number of experts and scholars of international law. The particular topics that were dealt with this year include a variety of issues such as immunity from criminal prosecution, relationship between the law of the sea and the law of navel warfare, interplay between international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Also, some of the project members went abroad to conduct interviews with a number of scholars.We are now applying for the Grant-in-Aid for Publication of Scientific Research Results to publish our research resxdts. We hope that it will be published in autumn 2004.