Bentham Studies in Japan Today

In Japan, although it may also hold for other countries as well, Bentham has been and is still being treated unfairly because of the influential criticism given by figures such as John Rawls and Ronald Dworkin. However, after the 1990s, more positive interest in Bentham increased due to the 4th and 13th Conferences on the International Society for Utilitarian Studies held in Japan in 1994 (in Tokyo) and 2014 (in Yokohama), respectively. As this special issue of “Bentham Studies in Japan Today” shows, the recent literature on Bentham in Japan is characterised by the variety of fields from which Bentham scholars originate. Thus, this special issue comprises articles that discuss topics such as Bentham’s philosophies of language, law, government and education, as well as his thoughts on religion and ethics. In addition, reflecting the more current trends in Bentham scholarship around the world, recent Bentham studies in Japan tend to focus on Bentham’s work itself and the context in which Bentham wrote and try to offer balanced interpretations of Bentham. Some of the Bentham scholars in Japan are trying to assess the implications of his work for Japanese society, which remains a secular society thus more open to utilitarian ideas.