NihonEuropA is a structured network of Japanese and French universities, specifically involving faculties of law and public law scholars (Professors). It was founded in 2015 by Prof. Dr. Pierre-Yves Monjal (University of Tours).

The network brings together around a dozen Japanese universities (including the country’s top five: Tokyo, Keio, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Chuo) and an equal number of French institutions (Tours, Poitiers, Aix-Marseille, Paris Sorbonne, Sorbonne Paris Nord, Lyon, Strasbourg, Dijon…). In total, close to 50 academics — equally French and Japanese — are connected through this network.

In addition to academic members, the network collaborates with business law firms based in Belgium and Tokyo (see below), and with institutional partners such as the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (CCIFJ), Business France, JETRO (the external agency of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), CLAIR Paris and Tokyo (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations), the French Embassy in Japan, and the Delegation of the European Union to Tokyo. Each of these partners has clearly identified contact persons within the network.

NihonEuropA is closely linked to the IRJI (Institute for Legal and Judicial Research), primarily through its research dimension. It is within this context that Professor Monjal — initially alone, and subsequently together with Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Aubin — has organised or co-organised several international symposiums.

From a research perspective, NihonEuropA’s primary aim is to promote research related to Japan. To this end, the network supports conferences in the form of dialogues (“cross perspectives”) between scholars of Japanese law, French law, and European Union law.