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Call for Papers
 

The Japan Chapter of the Asian Society of International Law
The 17th Annual Conference

 
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Osaka(Umeda), Japan


Securitisation and International Law in Asia

 
Recent developments in Asia demonstrate that securitisation is no longer confined to highly visible conflicts such as Russia–Ukraine or Israel–Hamas. Although less extensively covered in global media, interstate armed confrontations have occurred in Asia, including the India–Pakistan conflict and the Thailand–Cambodia border clashes. At the same time, military exercises by the United States and its allies in the Asia–Pacific region have intensified, while China continues to conduct military operations in the maritime areas surrounding Taiwan. These dynamics have generated heightened security concerns among States in the region.
 
This Conference invites papers that explore the influence of security concerns on the development, interpretation, and application of international law in Asia, or that investigate how international law constrains governmental authorities from enacting specific securitisation measures. Securitisation has permeated virtually all branches of international law. Traditional areas such as jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and emerging jus post bellum remain central, but security considerations increasingly affect the law of the sea, space law, international human rights law, international environmental law and international economic law. For instance, the rise of “economic security” as a policy priority across Asian States has reshaped legal discourse in trade, investment, and technology governance. Environmental obligations, including climate-change commitments, have also been influenced by security framing.
 
We welcome contributions that explore these developments from doctrinal, comparative, empirical, or theoretical perspectives. The conference will be available online; however, for lively discussions in the conference rooms, presenters will be required to attend in person.
Possible Topics Include (but are not limited to):
1. Use of Force and the Law of Armed Conflict
– Securitisation dynamics in jus ad bellum debates in Asia
– Applications of jus in bello in less-visible border conflicts (e.g., India–Pakistan, Thailand–Cambodia)
– The role of jus post bellum in ceasefires, territorial administration, or reconstruction
2. Maritime and Territorial Security
– Military activities in the South China Sea and East China Sea
– Grey-zone operations and para-military actors
– Freedom of navigation vs. national security claims in Asian straits
3. Human Rights and Securitisation
– Human rights restrictions justified on counter-terrorism or counter-espionage grounds
– Impact of securitisation on refugees, migrants, and minority groups
– Emergency powers and derogations in Asian States
4. Economic Security and International Economic Law
– Export controls, sanctions, and technology governance
– “Economic coercion” and WTO/FTA dispute settlement
– Supply-chain security and investment screening mechanisms
5. Environmental Security
– Climate change as a national security issue in Asian States
– Securitisation of water, food, and energy resources
– Environmental obligations affected by military planning or geopolitical rivalry
6. Space, Technology, and Cybersecurity
– Militarisation of outer space in Asia
– Satellite interference and dual-use technologies
– Cybersecurity frameworks shaped by national security imperatives
7. Theoretical, Historical, Sociological, and Critical Approaches
– Critical security theories on Asian legal orders
– Historical trajectories of security framing in post-colonial Asia
– Media, public perception, and the construction of “security threats”.
 
1. Language
The conference will be bilingual, accepting papers in both English and Japanese. Please indicate the language in which you prefer to present your paper (or whether you are comfortable in both languages). If you intend to present a paper in English, you can submit the abstract in either English or Japanese. The concurrent sessions will be organised separately in the two languages, the acceptance of submissions may be contingent upon the language used during the presentation.
 
2. Application procedure
Please forward the following information to the conference organisers (CfPAsianSIL@gmail.com)
in a single file, by February 28, 2026: 1) paper title, 2) abstract (less than 500 words in English or 1,000 letters in Japanese), 3) your name, 4) your affiliation and position, 5) a short biography (less than 200 words in English or 400 letters in Japanese), 6) a list of up to three most relevant academic articles/chapters/books, and 7) contact details (email address, phone number, and address).
 
3. Screening
The Research and Planning Committee will review the proposals and inform the applicants by March 31, 2026.
 
4. Composition of the concurrent sessions
Each presentation will be assigned to one of the concurrent sessions. Once the composition of the concurrent sessions is determined, by the end of April, the conference program will be announced on the website of the Japan Chapter and communicated to the presenters.
 
5. Conference papers
The conference papers will be shared electronically with participants, in advance, for active discussion during the event. Please submit your unpublished conference paper, of 1,000-5,000 words in English or 2,000-10,000 letters in Japanese, by June 15.
 
6. Fees
Members of the Japan Chapter are exempted from paying the participation fee.
While membership is not a prerequisite for applying, non-member presenters are required to pay a participation fee (10,000 yen equivalent to approximately 60 US dollars, inclusive of the lunch meeting and dinner reception) or become members of the Japan Chapter (annual membership fee: 3,000 yen) by the time of the conference.
Travel and accommodation expenses need to be covered on their own.
 
7. Lunch meeting and dinner reception
Lunch will be organised for all participants. Presenters are required to join the lunch meeting (for 1,500 yen) to meet the other presenters of the concurrent session. The participation fee for non-member presenters includes the cost of the lunch meeting.
It is strongly recommended that participants attend the post-conference dinner reception, which costs approximately 5,000 yen (approx. 30 US dollars). While attendance at the dinner reception is not mandatory, it is an invaluable opportunity for academic networking. Please note that the participation fee for non-member presenters includes the cost of the dinner reception and cannot be discounted.
Fees for lunch and reception are subject to change due to rising prices.
 
8. Allocation of time for presentations
Each presentation must be completed within 15 minutes.
 
9. Inquiries
Any inquiries regarding the conference should be emailed to the following address: (CfPAsianSIL@gmail.com)