On September 3, 2025, the criminal law faculty at the Law School welcomed a group of Japanese researchers for a pleasant occasion. Prof. Mayako Suganuma, Otaru University of Economics (Japan), had chosen the topic of establishing intent to familiarize the audience with her research. Together with her German and Japanese colleagues, she was able to discuss the similarities and differences in the problems currently facing subjective attribution in both legal systems.
Prof. Suganuma primarily explained how Japanese jurisprudence addresses problems of proof regarding import and possession offenses, particularly in the context of drug trafficking and the acquisition of stolen goods, for example, following so-called shock calls. In the drug trade, this particularly applies to couriers, for whom it remains to be clarified whether they had sufficient knowledge of the items being transported.
