Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law

Kyushu University, abbreviated to Kyudai, it is a Japanese national university located in Fukuoka, in the island of Kyushu. It is the 4th oldest university in Japan and one of the former Imperial Universities. It is considered as one of the most prestigious research-oriented universities in Japan. Besides that it has top law schools in Japan. Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law is the unique and top law school in the Japan. It offers many professional degrees in law. Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law has designed the degrees for Graduate Degree Programs.

 Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law

The faculty of Law was founded in 1924 as a department within the Faculty of Law and Humanities and achieved full independent status in 1949. A characteristic feature of law faculties in Japan is that they were initially established with the aim of educating civil servants and not lawyers. The law faculties of Japan thus contributed to socio-economic development by educating successive generations of public servants as well as providing law graduates for other sectors of society, notably corporations.

This approach can be contrasted with Europe or the United States where legal education has been primarily oriented towards legal practice and has consequently focused on preparing students for the bar examination and a future career as a legal professional.

Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law

Kyushu University-Graduate School of Law international programs are Japan’s best law program as well. It offers many professional degree programs that are unique and enables the students to understand law.

International Law Programs

Lifelong Learning Program / About LL.M. Adult Program

The LL.M. Adult Program is a two-year master’s degree program with a standard of study, but students can complete them one, three and four years. The degree system to be completed in three or four year’s students can choose long term course system. Students need to complete 20 credit hours at least and some of the major subjects are:

  • Introduction to Legal & Political Studies
  • International Economic & Social Law
  • International Business Law
  • Japanese Constitutional & Admin Law
  • International Arbitration
  • Introduction to EU Law

Tuition fee

  • Examination fee: 30,000 yen
  • Entrance fee: 282,000 yen
  • Tuition fee: 267,900 yen (per semester)

Double Degree LL.M Program

Kyushu University, Graduate School of Law offers a number of double degree LL.M. programs in cooperation with partner schools in Asia and Europe. Currently such programs are offered in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University, the University of Malaya, National Taiwan University, Tilburg University and Catholic University of Leuven.

The Bilingual Master’s (LL.M) in Laws (BiP)

It is a 1 year program, which offers students the exclusive chance to connect in graduate level study of law in a “bilingual” environment at a law faculty in Japan. The program seeks to overcome one of the principal barriers to graduate legal education in Japan. So, it provides the students with the possibility of taking classes and writing a thesis in English, as well as Japanese. Students have to complete 20 credit hours.

Tuition Fee and Other Charges

  • Kyushu University Registration Fee: 30,000 yen.
  • Kyushu University Entrance Fee: 280,000 yen (paid once on enrollment).
  • Kyushu University Tuition Fee per Semester (2x per year): 270,000 yen.
  • Monthly Living Costs: 100,000 yen (approx.).

JDS Program

The JDS Program (is a Master’s course in law taught entirely in English to qualified individuals from selected organizations in designated recipient countries. The JDS Program is taught on a full-time basis and takes 24 months for completion, beginning in October every year and ending in September two years later. All JDS students are expected to complete a 20-credit (approx. 2-3 courses per semester for two years) coursework curriculum and write a Master’s Thesis of 70 pages.

The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship by Japanese Grant Aid (JDS) (former Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)

  • Intellectual Property and the Law
  • Transnational Law and Policy
  • Transnational Business Law
  • Law and Society
  • Consumer Protection Law
  • Introduction to Japanese Law, Historical Perspective
  • White Collar and Corporate Crime
  • Introduction to EU Law

Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) in Law (LL.M)

The Young Leaders’ Program (YLP) was established in 2001 as a one-year Master’s program by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). At present, five different programs are offered in the fields of Government, Local Governance, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, and the Law. It is a 1 year program, students need to complete a 20-credit coursework curriculum and write a Master’s Thesis of at least 50 pages.

LL.M in International Economic and Business Law (IEBL)

It is started in 1994 and it’s the first exclusive LL.M program which the Kyushu University offered. It is taught entirely in English: the LL.M. program in International Economic and Business Law (IEBL). The IEBL program offers to give both Japanese and international students with the ability to deal with the many challenges of modern international economic affairs and commercial transactions. The program seeks to develop a critical understanding of economic and legal principles within the framework of international & comparative business law. it is two years program, with a 20-credit coursework curriculum and write a Master’s Thesis of at least 50 pages.

Doctoral Program

LL.D in Law

It offers students the exceptional opportunity of preparing a doctoral thesis on law in English. It is highest Degree LL.D which the university offers in law. The program is designed to gives students with the skills necessary to complete high-level research in law. Students will pursue a closely supervised program of research for 6 consecutive semesters (3 years), prior to submitting a final dissertation. The thesis may be on any law-related subject agreed in consultation with the academic supervisors and approved by the LL.D. Faculty Committee.

Tuition Fee and other Charges

  • Kyushu University Registration Fee: 30,000 yen.
  • Kyushu University Entrance Fee: 280,000 yen (paid once on enrollment).
  • Kyushu University Tuition Fee per Semester (2x per year): 270,000 yen.
  • Monthly Living Costs: 100,000 yen (approx)
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