Responsibility of States - Prof. HAMAMOTO Shotaro (Kyoto University)

Tokyo International Law Seminar 2024 was held from 26th to 30th September 2024 at the United Nationals University, in Tokyo, Japan. This is one of the lectures given in this seminar.
It is commonplace in international law that when a State breaches an international obligation, it is responsible for its internationally wrongful act and obliged to make reparation. However, what does “a State breaches an international obligation” mean when people’s decision is held to violate human rights of those who belong to the people (Verein Klimaseniorinnen Schweiz)? What happens if a State “breaches” its neutrality “obligations” (war between Russia and Ukraine)? Is it possible for international law to oblige an impecunious State to pay compensation (Tethyan)? This lecture reconsiders the “axiomatic statement” (Crawford) on State responsibility.