The Current State of the Rules of International Law against Attempts to Acquire Territory by Force: A Practitioner's View

About this episode

Ambassador Tomohiro Mikanagi discusses the current state of international law regarding territorial acquisition by force.

Based on his experience, but speaking in his personal capacity, Ambassador Tomohiro Mikanagi will discuss the current state of the rules of international law against attempts to acquire territory by force. When powerful States are not satisfied with the territorial status quo and are unwilling to give up their interests for the sake of international peace, there is an inherent difficulty in stopping their attempts to acquire territory by force. In the past 100 years, efforts have been made to stop such attempts. Based on the recognition of the efforts made so far, Ambassador Mikanagi will examine the current state of the rules of international law against such attempts. He will examine the relationship between the prohibition on the use of force and the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and will discuss the scope of these prohibitions. He will also discuss whether States can acquire territory by the use of force in self-defence and examine obligations for third States arising from the violation of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force. Ambassador Tomohiro Mikanagi is the Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United…

People in this episode

Guest: Tomohiro Mikanagi

Topics covered

• international law
• territorial acquisition
• self-defense
• state sovereignty
• UN relations

Keywords

• rules of international law
• prohibition on use of force
• territorial status quo
• self-defence
• third States obligations

Mentioned in this episode

Places: States, Japan

More episodes of LCIL International Law Centre Podcast

• The Secret Life of the Legal Adviser: Strategies of International Law-Making · March 16, 2026 · 30 min
• Athenia, or the Nuremberg Trial at Midpoint · March 9, 2026 · 44 min
• Submarines and Underwater Maritime Autonomous Vehicles: New Wine in Old Bottles? · March 3, 2026 · 30 min
• Reading International Law as Stories · February 24, 2026 · 34 min
• Due Diligence at a Crossroads: The Old Road, the New Road, and the Bridge Between · February 13, 2026 · 39 min
• The Systemic Function of General Principles · February 9, 2026 · 34 min