Join us on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 5:30 PM in Kane Hall 225 for a special evening lecture:
Consolidating Constitutional Legitimacy in Japan: Concepts, Metrics, and Pathways Forward
Kenneth Mori McElwain, University of Tokyo and Columbia University
Amidst global challenges to established institutions, rights, and norms, the role of constitutions in preserving democratic governance has become ever more vital. Japan offers a compelling case: its constitution, the world’s oldest unamended national charter, faces growing elite-driven calls for fundamental revision. However, public support for these changes remains uncertain, and reforms lacking legitimacy risk weakening the constitution’s ability to constrain government overreach. This talk develops a framework for understanding and assessing constitutional legitimacy.
The Jackson School Japan Studies Program is home to the Griffith and Patricia Way Lecture series. Since its establishment in 2006 in honor of the Ways, this series has featured distinguished scholars in the field of Japan Studies in areas which include history, literature, political science, economics, and art. You can make a gift to this lecture series at UW Giving. Search for ‘Way‘ in the Search Funds field at the top of the page.