Dynamics of International Human Rights in Japan

Abstract

Starting with a preliminary evaluation of Canadian human rights practices, the author critically traces the development of international human rights ih Japan. While the country has been aflfcted favourably by the newly-emerging international human rights regime, judicial reluctance to acknowledge the relevance of human dignity leads the author to conclude that there is still a long way to go in achieving the desired situation. The article ends with a calI for the acceptance of treaty-based individual petition procedures, which in his view may effectively induce the judiciary to open up to the universal norms for the protection of human rights.