https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QU8Rms94C5c<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere is no need to post a signboard encouraging people to use the stairs for their health. Nevertheless, people are naturally drawn to try the piano staircase for fun. In some cases, what amounts to \u201carchitecture\u201d can be expressed as \u201cdesign\u201d or \u201csuggestion.\u201d Frequent users of the social media X find it relatively easy to compose a message within the limit of 280 characters, and those accustomed to barcode-based payment do not mind going out without carrying cash. These are also examples of architecture, which guides and controls people\u2019s behavior without their becoming aware of it.<\/p>\n
Why does a legal philosophy researcher study architecture?<\/h3>\n
One trigger for Prof. Matsuo\u2019s interest in architecture was the book Code: And Other Laws of Cyberspace,<\/em>(1)<\/sup> published in 1999 and written by Lawrence Lessig, a researcher in constitutional and Internet law. The book reflects well the debates in the 1990s concerning the Internet, when it was rapidly developing and spreading. Let us look back on some aspects of those debates by referring to Architecture and Law<\/em>(2)<\/sup>, co-authored and edited by Prof. Matsuo. \u201cAt that time, the discourse surrounding the Internet was full of utopian ideas echoing the belief that a truly free society would emerge in cyberspace, unbound by state control\u201d (p. 5), \u201cThe architecture of cyberspace was viewed as a new technology that would enable a variety of actions\u201d (p. 6), and there were those who believed that the Internet had unalterable freedom as an entity transcending national borders and nation-states. Lessig\u2019s book appeared as a critical opposition to these ideas. He argued that the Internet, a seemingly free space impossible to be policed, was, at the end of the day, a space that can be regulated simply through the rewriting of program codes. The author further stated that, \u201cmajor corporations were already using codes to establish regulations advantageous to them, and there was a danger that these codes might replace the existing laws\u201d (p .7).<\/p>\n\u201cThus, architecture was now viewed as a technology that facilitates constraints on behavior, rather than one that enables a variety of behaviors. Lessig demonstrated in his book that the Internet cannot be a free space for what it inherently is\u201d (p. 7).<\/p>\n
Today, the Internet is an architecture deeply rooted in our lives, and we pursue many of our daily activities, taking the existence of the Internet for granted. While the Internet is convenient, it poses many questions with regard to regulation and how it should be understood in legal terms, thereby setting in motion deeper reflection.<\/p>\n
At that time, Prof. Matsuo was not interested in the Internet alone and broadened his focus to architecture in general.<\/p>\n
\u201cLessig said that we should study law as one of many things, paying close attention to the movements of markets, social norms, and architecture, in addition to the Internet program code. This impressed me deeply and became a new starting point for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Today, we live in a world where new technology is developing and being applied in society at a dizzying pace. It is no longer possible to control architectures that emerge in such a world and new ways of thinking and behavior resulting there from solely through legal systems. Only by comprehensively addressing law, markets, social norms, and architecture, individually and as a whole, can we find better ways of regulating them. In this context, Architecture and Law<\/em> examines how architecture interacts with law, which is another interesting point of this book. It poses some intriguing questions: Are there cases in which architecture replaces law (question of substitutability)? What kind of architecture is desirable (question of legitimacy)? Who builds architecture and how (question of orthodoxy)? Since it is impossible to cover the whole book here, the best thing to do is to read it for yourself!<\/p>\n(1): Code: And Other Laws Of Cyberspace<\/em> by Lawrence Lessig, (Basic Books, 1999)<\/span><\/p>\n(2): Architecture and Law<\/em> (Kobundo, 2017) by Tatsuhiko Inatani et al<\/em>. \/ Yoh Matsuo (ed.)<\/span><\/p>\nGovernance: regulation as designed within organizations and society<\/h3>\n
\u201cI think \u2018governance\u2019 will be a major keyword from now on,\u201d says Prof. Matsuo.<\/p>\n
Legal regulations are designed on the assumption that negative situations are more likely to occur than not. This does not mean that lawmakers cut corners, but because laws designed to be too restrictive can deprive people of their freedom. As freedom is thus secured, various architectures come into being every day. To ensure that they function effectively in society in such a way as to contribute to people\u2019s happiness, it is important to exercise governance, that is, voluntary control and management within organizations such as private companies.<\/p>\n
The risks of new technologies are not always easily detected and addressed. For example, self-driving cars are currently being actively developed and put to trial use. However, even if they are called self-driving, literally fully autonomous cars, which function flawlessly on public roads with no human intervention, have not yet been realized. There are still various obstacles to be overcome, including not only technical issues but also the development of roads and traffic signs and the formulation of rules in anticipation of accidents. In sum, there is still a long way to go. For engineers working in the field, the idea of fully autonomous cars being put to practical use and becoming an architecture taken for granted may seem like a dream to be realized in the distant future. On the other hand, PR personnel working for automakers may be tempted to present self-driving cars as realistically usable as possible in order to win gradual societal acceptance and secure funding for ongoing development. Such an attitude may be natural in a way. Indeed, autonomous cars in promotional videos move so smoothly and attractively that it seems as though they do not require human intervention or attention at all. However, the intense conflict between engineers, PR personnel, and company management could one day tip the balance and lead to serious accidents. Prof. Matsuo, who is a member of the Study Group on Ethical Guidelines for Autonomous Vehicles (3)<\/sup>, has had the opportunity to meet in person engineers directly involved in the development of self-driving cars. Talking with them, he felt a strong need to improve the decision-making processes at car manufacturers and in other related organizations.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/03\/5.-DSC_2025_09_04_145245-512x341.jpg\")
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Prof. Matsuo also points out the need to focus on governance from a broader perspective, not just within the organizational framework. This is because, in the process of a new architecture being adopted in society, society itself influences how it is adopted and operated. To take the example of self-driving cars once again, while it is naturally necessary to improve their safety, their earliest possible adoption may be equally important in some areas in Japan marked with a declining and aging population and desperate for new means of transportation in their underserved zones. Moreover, in the future, carmakers will probably want to export their vehicles. This would normally require the cars to be designed to conform to local regulations. Then, a question would emerge as to whether transnational regulations would satisfy domestic needs in Japan. In this way, it will be important to examine governance from broad and varied perspectives that go beyond the scope of a single company or organization.<\/p>\n
(3): Study Group on Ethical Guidelines for Autonomous Vehicles (representative:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Takashi HIKASA, Associate Professor, School of Management and Information Sciences, Tama University; established in September 2021)<\/span><\/p>\nAsian legal issues for the future of Japanese law<\/h3>\n
Prof. Matsuo currently serves as Director of the Research and Education Center for Japanese Law (CJL). The Center has opened bases at universities in Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, as part of the Center\u2019s initiative to support the development of local legal systems. One of its distinctive activities is an educational program conducted in respective countries. The participating students study not only local law but also Japanese language and law. The program is complex and strenuous, and many of the students who successfully complete it in four to five years go on to graduate school in Japan. In another activity, the center also studies cases in which the application of current laws hindered court proceedings in each country, with an eye to making concrete improvements in the local legal systems.<\/p>\n
There is an important concept in international assistance for legal system development: supporting through accompanying assisted parties, rather than simply teaching as if to \u201cenlighten\u201d recipients from top down.<\/p>\n
Prof. Matsuo says: \u201cWe are not forcing Japanese values on them. In the past, we in Japan struggled to adapt the laws we had imported from the West to our domestic situations. We share our past experience with our Asian partners as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Center\u2019s efforts to support legal reform in other Asian countries also has great significance for improvement of Japanese laws.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if we can point to positive results from abstract laws and policy measures, there are usually hidden third elements. To see them, we need to look closely at local situations in many countries.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
For example, in Germany, labor unions are industry-specific in that they are formed by employees of multiple companies of the same industry, whereas in Japan, labor unions are company-specific in that employees of the same company often form a labor union. In Germany, it is easier for a labor union as a whole to assert its position without being influenced by a single company\u2019s circumstances. On the other hand, in Japan, labor unions are more likely to be influenced by their companies\u2019 situations. To check on the good functioning of labor unions, it is impossible to really know without examining situations on the ground other than the legal system.<\/p>\n
As this example shows, simply looking at one\u2019s own country does not necessarily lead to the construction of a robust mechanism. Moreover, Japan being an Asian country, its culture has been largely shaped by the geography and history of the region. Therefore, addressing legal issues in other Asian countries can be a valuable learning tool.<\/p>\n
Prof. Matsuo also says that it is very important for Japan\u2019s future to help train professionals in other Asian countries who are well versed in local and Japanese laws. This is obvious with regard to immigration. While there is room for debate concerning specific future policies, given Japan\u2019s declining birthrate and aging population, it is possible that the country will opt to accept more immigrants. Then, lawyers familiar with Japanese and concerned foreign cultures will definitely become necessary to handle legal issues that may arise from cross-cultural contact and conflict, bound to occur in a multicultural society.<\/p>\n
Prof. Matsuo says: \u201cAsian law is outside my original specialization. When the post of Director was proposed to me, I thought it\u2019d be extremely challenging. But I accepted it in the end because I share these motivations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Consistency in wide-ranging research themes<\/h3>\n
\u2015 What conditions would be required for good functioning of law? Isn\u2019t there something important outside the realm of law that has not been fully grasped in legal studies to date? Starting with these questions, Prof. Matsuo\u2019s research has evolved to cover wide-ranging themes. In addition to legal research, he continues to look into the future of society as a whole as revealed through legal affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cFundamentally, I am interested in people and society. I hope to continue examining people and society from various angles. I have always done so, and I think I will continue to the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Interview and Text: Tatsuro AYATSUKA, Interview Date: September 4, 2025)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3776,"template":"","performance_cat":[],"performance_tag":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interviews\/3775"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interviews"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/interviews"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"performance_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/performance_cat?post=3775"},{"taxonomy":"performance_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.iar.nagoya-u.ac.jp\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/performance_tag?post=3775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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