2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Law (Constitutional Law) B
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Yoshiaki Matsumura
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- Courses specified
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.S201
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 17, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course explains the most fundamental and important matters of the constitution. Students of this course may learn the most fundamental and important subjects of the constitution. Those subjects contain the general remarks of the constitution such as “ What is the constitution? ” and constitutionalism, the basic points of the protection of constitutional rights, and the governmental system.
The aim of this course is for students to understand the most fundamental and important matters of the constitution.
This course qualifies as a "constitution" course required for teaching and other occupations.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain important concepts and questions of the general constitution theory, the theory of protection of constitutional rights , and the theory of the governmental system.
- Argue important questions of the general constitution theory, the theory of protection of constitutional rights , and the theory of the governmental system.
- Consider various real-world issues related to the general constitution theory, the theory of protection of constitutional rights , and the theory of the governmental system.
Keywords
the Constitution of Japan, constitutionalism, protection of rights, judicial review
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Online live lesson by the web conference system "zoom." Classes will be given with slides materials which will be made by teacher. Students have to take short tests in every classes. Stuents may ask some questions by word of mouth, by chat system of "zoom," or message system of short tests. Sometimes students have to do homeworks.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1: Guidance of this course 2: The learning methods of law 3: Introduction to law 1: the structure of articles and the construction of law | Understanding the outline of this course, what the law is, and the study method of the law |
| Class 2 | Introduction to law 2: the definition, the types and the application rules of law and the court procedures | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 3 | What is the constitution? １: Constitutionalism | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 4 | What is the constitution? 2: Separation of powers, Obligation to respect and uphold the constitution, the system of judicial review | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 5 | The history and the cange of the contitution 1: Meiji Consititution and the process of the enactment of the Constitution of Japan | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 6 | The history and the cange of the contitution 2: the process of the enactment of the constitution of Japan, the history of of the Constitution of Japan, and constitutional amendment | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 7 | Pacifism | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 8 | General theory of the protection of the constitutional rights 1: the concept of the human/constitutional rights, unnumerated rights, and the rigt to the pursuit to happiness | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 9 | General theory of the protection of the constitutional rights 2: the application ranges of the consutitutional rights | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 10 | General theory of the protection of constitutional rights 3: the limits of the constitutional rights | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 11 | General theory of the protection of constitutional rights 3: the subjects of the constitutional rights | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 12 | Equal protection | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 13 | Freedom of speech | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
| Class 14 | Popular sovereignty, representative democracy, and parliamentary cabinet system | before the class: reading of the materials and identifying the questions after the class: recalling of the class, reading of the reference books, reviewing of the knowledge, and studying of the issues |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to course materials.
Sometimes students have to do homeworks.
Textbook(s)
none
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Reference books will be presented in class as needed.
Evaluation methods and criteria
short tests(80%), report (20%)
Related courses
- LAH.S101 ： Law (Constitutional Law) A
- LAH.S301 ： Law (Constitutional Law) C
Prerequisites
none
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
matsumura.y.ai[at]m.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
none