Prof. Asada is Professor of Doshisha University and the member of the UN International Law Commission.
This lecture aims to provide an overview of the UN International Law Commission (ILC) and its work. It will begin by delving into the historical background, composition, membership and working methods of the Commission, followed by an examination of two specific topics from the Commission’s past and current agendas. The first topic will be the issue of reservations to treaties. Specifically, the lecture will explore the legal implications of interpretative declarations (amounting to reservations) to a treaty in which reservations are explicitly prohibited. The second topic to be addressed is sea-level rise, which currently holds significant practical importance in the Commission's considerations. The lecture will examine the implications of rising sea levels on the law of the sea, including the questions of regression of coastlines and submergence of maritime features. By discussing these topics, the lecture aims to offer a general understanding of the ILC and its vital work in creating and advancing international law.