On the evening of November 18, the Global Distinguished Lecture Series at Southeast University was successfully held in the conference room on the fourth floor of the Law School building at Jiulonghu Campus. Professor Sakamoto Takuto from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo, who also serves as the head of the Global Social Risk Analysis Team at the University of Tokyo's Digital Observation Institute, delivered a special lecture titled Theory and Practice of Human Rights Protection: Insights from Japanese Academic Research and Policy Experience. The lecture was chaired by Associate Professor Yi Bo of the Law School.
During the two-hour lecture, Professor Sakamoto Takuto, drawing upon his extensive academic expertise in human rights research, systematically elucidated the core connotations and practical pathways of human rights protection in Japan and the international community through theoretical analysis and concrete case studies. He pointed out that although the academic community holds diverse interpretations of the concept of human rights protection, a fundamental consensus has gradually emerged: the primary subject of human rights protection is the individual. He further delineated the conceptual boundaries between human rights and human rights protection—the former emphasizes the state's role in safeguarding rights through effective laws and institutions, while the latter reflects the diversity of protection pathways, highlighting the collaborative efforts of the state, society, the market, and international mechanisms at different levels.
Professor Sakamoto Takuto then employed a comparative perspective to share experiences of different countries in promoting international human rights protection through policy practices. Supporting his analysis with data, he demonstrated the usage and evolving trends of the concept of human rights protection in official documents of various nations and international organizations. He noted that, against the backdrop of growing global attention to livelihoods, security, and sustainable development in recent years, the concept of human rights protection has progressively emerged as a significant intellectual resource for advancing social governance and international cooperation.
During the interactive session, faculty and students engaged in in-depth discussions focusing on the historical evolution of the concept of human rights protection in East Asian countries, interdisciplinary research approaches linking human security and social policies, as well as the theoretical and practical connections between human rights protection and the modernization of national governance. Many participants, drawing on China's institutional advantages and the context of the new era, raised questions from perspectives such as the people-centered development philosophy, the human-oriented approach in public policy, and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capabilities. These inquiries reflected a research focus that prioritizes the people as the main actors and centers on their well-being.
In his response, Professor Sakamoto pointed out that human rights protection is not an abstract theoretical concept, but rather a comprehensive analytical framework that connects the capacity-building of national governance, the improvement of social policy systems, and the holistic development of individuals. Its core value lies not only in safeguarding people's rights to survival, security, and development, but also in emphasizing the maximization of public interest through institutional coordination, policy innovation, and social cooperation, thereby truly achieving the principle of for the people, by the people, and serving the people. This concept deeply aligns with the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, which emphasizes wide consultation, joint contribution, shared benefits, win-win cooperation, and connectivity. Such alignment holds positive implications for promoting regional cooperation and common development.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Associate Professor Yi Bo expressed sincere gratitude to Professor Sakamoto Takuto for his insightful presentation. He noted that the lecture had not only deepened faculty and students' theoretical understanding of the important topic of human rights protection but had also expanded academic approaches to examining the intersections of national governance, human security, and social public policy from the perspective of Chinese practice and through comparative legal and regional lenses. The lecture guided participants to connect the concept of human rights protection with core themes in China's modernization journey, such as putting the people first, improving the public service system, and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. This further highlighted its significance in promoting common development, enhancing public welfare, facilitating mutual learning among civilizations, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Associate Professor Yi Bo emphasized that human rights protection is not an isolated legal issue, but rather a comprehensive topic deeply embedded in national development strategies, the enhancement of human well-being, and the transformation of global governance, deserving sustained attention and in-depth exploration in future research. This lecture provided new perspectives and inspiration for promoting interdisciplinary studies and deepening international understanding.
The lecture concluded successfully amid warm applause from all attendees.