World Court elects Japanese Judge Yuji Iwasawa as new President

The Hague: Japanese Judge Iwasawa Yuji has been elected as the new President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands. He succeeds Nawaf Salam, who resigned in January before completing his term.

The ICJ announced on Monday that Iwasawa was elected by his fellow judges to lead the Court. Serving as an ICJ Judge since June 22, 2018, Iwasawa previously held roles as a Professor of International Law at the University of Tokyo and as Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. His appointment marks him as the second Japanese national to assume the Court's top position, following Hisashi Owada, who served as ICJ President from 2009 to 2012.

In an interview with NHK World Japan, Iwasawa expressed his commitment to strengthening the ICJ’s role in promoting the rule of law and resolving disputes peacefully.

The President and Vice-President of the ICJ are elected by the Court’s members every three years through a secret ballot, requiring an absolute majority without any nationality restrictions. They may also be re-elected. As President, Iwasawa will preside over Court meetings, manage its operations and administration with the support of various committees, and, in cases of judicial deliberation deadlock, cast a deciding vote.

Established under the United Nations Charter in June 1945, the ICJ began its activities in April 1946 as the UN’s principal judicial organ. It consists of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and Security Council. The Court is responsible for resolving legal disputes between states in accordance with international law and providing advisory opinions on legal questions referred by authorized UN bodies and agencies.

With IANS inputs