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exchange at Hitotsubashi Business Law (HBL)
exchange at Hitotsubashi Business Law (HBL)
This information is for international students coming to Hitotsubashi University for exchange at the Department of Business Law, Graduate School of Law ("Hitotsubashi Business Law" or "HBL").
If you are a Hitotsubashi Business Law student (法学研研究科ビジネスロー専攻), please visit the page for Hitotsubashi students.
Who is elible to study at Hitotsubashi Business Law on exchange?
Who is elible to study at Hitotsubashi Business Law on exchange?
Hitotsubashi University has current reciprocal exchange agreements with the following overseas institutions:
University of California Law San Francisco (United States);
University of Melbourne (Australia);
Goethe University (Germany);
Vienna University of Economics and Business (Austria);
National University of Singapore;
Singapore Management University.
If you are a law student at any of these institutions, you may apply through your institution's International Offices to study abroad at HBL.
2. By the end of 2025, HBL anticipates new reciprocal exchange agreements with:
National Taiwan University;
University of Milan (Italy).
Once these agreements are approved and executed, law students from the above institutions may also apply for exchange at HBL.
3. International students who are on exchange at Hitotsubashi's Graduate School of Law on the main campus (Kunitachi) may also take HBL courses provided they are a graduate law student and have two year's work experience. Please contact the Business Law Administration Office (law-bl.g[at]ad.hit-u.ac.jp).
However, such students are ineligible for the internship program.
4. International students from non-partnership universities must apply under Hitotsubashi University's privately-funded research student scheme to take HBL courses (see further: https://international.hit-u.ac.jp/pros/pr/rs/). Please note that research students are ineligible for the internship program.
Applications are handled centrally by the Study Abroad Division of the Academic Affairs Office. To study in the Autumn semester, you must apply by April.
When can you study abroad at HBL?
When can you study abroad at HBL?
HBL prefers students study at HBL in the autumn semester (September - December).
Orientation is held the week before semester begins (the first week of September)
The autumn semester begins in the second week of semester.
Classes finish by 22 December or earlier each year.
How do you apply for study abroad at HBL?
How do you apply for study abroad at HBL?
Eligible students must apply for study abroad according to the rules of their home institution.
Your university must send HBL its nomination of you as a candidate for exchange by mid-March for approval at April departmental and faculty meetings.
What can you study at HBL?
What can you study at HBL?
GBL Courses
HBL offers many courses in English as part of the Global Business Law ("GBL") specialization. In 2025, the following courses are available:
Current Issues in Corporate Financial Law (1 credit)
Legal Aspects of IP strategy (2 credits)
AI, Law and Global Markets (2 credits)
International Mergers & Acquisitions (2 credits)
International Arbitration and Contract Negotiation (2 credits)
Japanese Business Law in Global Perspective (2 credits)
Global Business Deals (2 credits)
EU Law in Global Perspective (2 credits)
Internships
HBL offers internships for students interested in gaining work experience in Tokyo law firms.
All exchange students will have a chance to do a week-long internship at an Osaka IP law firm during the semester. In addition, HBL will endeavour to find you a placement at a Tokyo law firm. Please understand that a placement is not guaranteed.
You may also find your own internship destination for which you will be granted course credit. Here are some examples:
Akasaka International Law, Patent & Accounting Office (https://ailaw.co.jp/en/internships/);
ARQIS Foreign Law Office (https://arqis.jp/contact/);
Ashurst (https://www.ashurst.com/en/careers/students-and-graduates/japan-internship/);
Monolith Law Office (https://monolith.law/en/job-openings-internship);
Human Rights Now (https://hrn.or.jp/eng/join/internship/).
Please note that, for visa reasons, your internship should be unpaid. You may apply to the Immigration Bureau for "Permission to Engage in Activity Other than that Permitted by the Status of Residence Previously Granted" under which you will be permitted to do paid work for up to 28 hours per week. However, HBL cannot support you in applying for this permission.
Moot Competition
Exchange students may also compete in a Tokyo-based mooting competition: the Inter-collegiate Negotiation Competition. Students will compete on an English-speaking team alongside undergraduate law students from the Kunitachi campus and, therefore, must be prepared to visit Kunitachi for group meetings and practice moots.
Entry into the team is by way of a competitive selection process. Please understand that a placement is not guaranteed. Even if not selected, students can still earn credit by supporting the Hitotsubashi team, researching the competition problem, participating in practice moots, and observing the actual competition.
Research Assistantships
In lieu of an internship, students with an interest in legal research may apply for one of the Global Business Law ("GBL") research assistantships on offer. For visa reasons, these positions are unpaid.
Supervised Research
Exchange students may also complete a paper with research supervision.
Graduate School of Law Courses
Exchange students may also take courses offered by the Graduate School of Law (on the main campus at Kunitachi).
To search for courses, visit Hitotsubashi's online syllabus catalogue.
Select English as the search language
Enter 2025 for the academic year
Select Graduate School of Law for the Faculty / Department
Select Autumn-Winter for the Quarter
select "English" for the Language
Law Classes in Japanese
Students with high-level Japanese law may also enrol in a Japanese-language law class (with the course coordinator's permission) and complete their assessment in English. A minimum of N2 Japanese language proficiency is required.
Japanese Language Classes
Exchange students may also take Japanese language classes (including introductory Japanese) on the main Kunitachi campus. You will need to arrive before the semester to take a language placement test. You should also check with your home institution whether they will accept you taking language classes.
HBL strongly urges students to learn Japanese to make the most of their experience in Japan.
How many HBL courses should you take in a semester?
How many HBL courses should you take in a semester?
As a rough rule of thumb, a HBL 2-credit course is about half the weighting of a standard American, Australian and Singaporean law course (and, in the case of the European Union's ECTS system, half of a 6 ECTS course).
Therefore, HBL advises that exchange students should take up at most 8 courses per semester. To allow students to take advantage of their internship and clinical legal education opportunities, as well as experience Japan itself, an optimal course load is seven (7) courses. However, exchange students must confirm their course load with their home institutions.
Under Japan's immigration law, exchange students must complete at least 10 hours of coursework per week to maintain their visa status as international students. Therefore, exchange students must register for at least six (6) HBL classes.
Why choose HBL for your study abroad?
Why choose HBL for your study abroad?
Hitotsubashi University was founded in 1875 and is one of Japan's elite universities. It is exclusively devoted to research and teaching in the social sciences.
In 2019, it was accredited as one of the eleven "Designated National Universities" (the equivalent of the American Ivy League or the Australian G08), specially funded in recognition of its excellence in research and international engagement. Learn more here.
Testimonial by Chiral Chia, Singapore Management University, 2024
"My time at Hitotsubashi University was everything I could have asked for in an exchange program. Over four months, I immersed myself in ten challenging but rewarding law courses, each offering the flexibility to explore topics I was truly passionate about. Being able to shape my research around my interests made the coursework feel less like an obligation and more like an opportunity—one that deepened my love for legal study.
Beyond the classroom, I had the chance to intern at an intellectual property law firm in Osaka, where I gained firsthand insight into Japan’s legal industry. I also assisted one of my professors with their research on deepfake regulation, a side project that let me engage with emerging legal issues in a meaningful way.
What made this exchange unforgettable wasn’t just the academics or the professional exposure—it was the people, the discussions, and the chance to see law through a different cultural lens. I returned to SMU with not just new knowledge, but a broader perspective on what a legal career could be. This experience was a highlight of my law school journey, and I’m so grateful to both Hitotsubashi and SMU for making it possible."
Testimonial by Clea Oger, Paris-Pantheon-Assas University, 2024
My experience as an exchange student at Hitotsubashi University, and more specifically as part of the Global Business Law program, has been one of the most enriching and formative experiences of my academic journey.
Living in Japan has always been a dream of mine, and the opportunity to study at such a prestigious institution through an internationally minded program made it even more special. The GBL program offered intellectually stimulating courses, with classes taught in English by professors from around the world with deep expertise in comparative law and business law. The curriculum often drew on real-world cases and focused on a comparative perspective, making the learning experience both practically and globally relevant.
What I appreciated most was the warm and welcoming atmosphere created by the students and professors. Classes were held in small groups, encouraging active participation and open discussion, which helped me gain confidence in expressing legal reasoning. Also, since classes were held in the evening and on the weekends, the program welcomed working professionals, creating a very diverse classroom environment with students from various backgrounds. Every discussion brought new perspectives, which pushed me to think more critically, and helped me develop a more nuanced and open-minded approach to law.
I also particularly valued the close connection with professors, who were always approachable and supportive. Their guidance made the experience not only academically rigorous but also personally rewarding.
Beyond classes, living in Tokyo for a year was truly an unforgettable experience for which I am truly grateful. From cultural immersion and daily life to learning Japanese and building lifelong friendships, every aspect of the exchange contributed to my growth, both as a future legal professional and as an individual.
The GBL program was a highlight of my legal education and has played a significant role in shaping my interest in international business law. I would definitely recommend it to any law student who wants to experience life in Japan while gaining a global perspective and a deeper understanding of today’s cross-border legal challenges.
How is law taught at Hitotsubashi University and where are its campuses?
How is law taught at Hitotsubashi University and where are its campuses?
Hitotsubashi Law comprises three units: The Faculty of Law (for undergraduates), the Graduate School of Law (for masters and doctoral programs), and the Professional School of Law (for admission to the legal profession). The Department of Business Law (HBL) is in the Graduate School of Law.
Hitotsubashi University has several campuses. Its main campus is located in Kunitachi, a leafy suburb in western Tokyo about one hour by train from downtown Tokyo on the Chuo service (both local and express lines).
Hitotsubashi Business Law , however, is located at the Chiyoda campus in the Tokyo central business district. The campus is in the National Centre of Sciences Building at 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8439. This is located near the Imperial Palace and is:
about a 5-minute walk from Exit A8 of Jimbocho Station on the Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line, Toei Mita Line and Toei Shinjuku Line; and
about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1b of Takebashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Subway Tozai Line
HBL offers an executive graduate program in business law at:
the masters level (2 years part-time)
the doctoral level (2-3 additional years part-time).
There are three specialist certificate streams:
IP Strategy
Global Business Law ("GBL")
IT and the Law (covering AI, big data and so on).
In addition, there are are a range of courses in business law fields such as corporate and finance, labour and employment, taxation and insolvency.
A masters qualification requires students complete 30 credits and a Research Thesis / Research Paper. (Most courses are 2 credits).
Exchange students complete courses alongside HBL masters students in the GBL stream.
(Credits) Each course is 2 credits (sometimes there will be a short course for 1 credit)
(Number of classes) A course is taught over 13 weeks during a 15 week semester
(Length of classes) Each class is 105 minutes commencing either at 6:20pm or 8:15 pm (there is a ten minute break between teaching periods). Saturday morning classes are also available.
(Teaching style) Teaching is typically face-to-face; hybrid and online classes may be offered at the teacher's discretion. Unless the student is granted special consideration, however, there is no requirement for teachers to accommodate requests for hybrid or on-demand class recordings.
(Class sizes) Class sizes are small, generally around 4-8 but can be as low as 1-2 enrolments. Hitotsubashi specialises in small-group learning.
How to get a visa and find housing
How to get a visa and find housing
The Graduate School of Law assists exchange students with visas and housing.
A student visa is required for all the international students entering Japan for the purpose of study. To apply for a visa, students must first obtain a "Certificate of Eligibility (COE)" from the Japanese Immigration Services Agency. The Graduate School of Law will apply by proxy for a COE for all exchange students. You will need to complete a form, provide a photo, submit evidence of financial support and furnish other documents.
Student housing is available in student housing in Kodaira near the Kunitachi campus or in kitchen-less guest rooms in the Choyoda campus. Due to competition for housing, placements may be determined by lottery. Students also may find their own accommodation, such as a furnished "monthly mansion".
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