The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges welcomed 19 students from Japan’s Hakuoh University for the Aloha Law Program, an immersive two-week exchange introducing Japanese students to the U.S. legal and political systems, earlier this fall. Funded by the Hakuoh and Sueoka Foundations, the program featured lectures, legal site visits and cross-cultural exchanges.
“The Aloha Law Program reflects UH Community Colleges’ commitment to fostering international collaboration and preparing students for a globally connected world,” said Della Teraoka, interim vice president of UH Community Colleges.
Fourth-year Hakuoh student Ryusei Nagamori said, “As Japan continues to engage in trade with the U.S., a solid understanding of American law will be essential for navigating future business transactions.”
A highlight was a visit to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, where Justice Sabrina McKenna, who earned a law degree from the UH Mānoa in 1982, shared her perspective on U.S. and Japanese legal systems, sparking insightful discussions on comparative judicial frameworks.
Lecturers included other distinguished alumni from UH’s William S. Richardson School of Law and covered a range of topics from constitutional law to business law.
UH alumni guest presenters included:
- Dara Nakagawa—U.S. Political and Court Systems
- Dawn Nakagawa—Common Law Principles and Contract Law
- Travis Kuwahara—U.S. Political and Court Systems
- Shimpei Oki—Business Law Overview
- Spencer Kimura—U.S. and Japan Legal System Overview
- Charles Crumpton—U.S. Political System History; Mediation and Arbitration
- Brandon Marc Higa—U.S. Constitutional Law Overview, Bill of Rights, Due Process
“It offers a rare opportunity for cross-cultural learning in a legal context,” said Deborah Nakagawa, former UH Community Colleges executive director for international education. “It’s inspiring to witness our future leaders build bridges of understanding between two distinct legal traditions.”
Professor Hiroyuki Yuzuriha of Hakuoh University said, “Our students gained invaluable insights from the lectures and interactions with legal professionals in Hawaiʻi.”
—By Brandon Marc Higa
