ICJ elects Japanese judge Yuji Iwasawa as new president, replacing Nawaf Salam
Iwasawa, a member of the court since 2018, was previously a professor of international law at the University of Tokyo and chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee
The International Court of Justice on Monday appointed Yuji Iwasawa as its new president, replacing Nawaf Salam, the new prime minister of Lebanon.
The 70-year-old will head the court until Salam’s term was due to expire, February 5, 2027, the ICJ said in a statement.
Iwasawa has been a member of the court since June 2018. Before joining the ICJ, he was professor of international law at the University of Tokyo and chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Often dubbed the “world court,” the ICJ, which sits in the Peace Palace in The Hague, rules on disputes between nations. It is the UN’s highest court.
It is sometimes confused with the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, which tries individuals for the world’s worst crimes, including suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ICJ is currently dealing with several especially high-profile cases.
It is weighing on a case that Israel is allegedly committing genocide in Gaza, in the war that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led a devastating cross-border assault, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that none of its actions targets civilians and that it takes numerous steps to protect them.
South Africa, which filed the ICJ case, submitted a 750-page document to the court in October of “evidence” of the alleged genocide. As per court procedures, South Africa’s submission will not be made public.
Israel has until July 2025 to file its response.
The ICJ is also deliberating a case between Ukraine and Russia over Moscow’s 2022 invasion.
And the court is preparing a so-called advisory opinion on the responsibility of nations with regard to climate change.
The president heads the 15-judge bench, but plays a largely ceremonial role, giving speeches in the court’s name and representing the institution worldwide, as well as reading out the ICJ rulings.
The president’s voice carries the same weight as the other judges in judicial deliberations, except in the event of a tie, in which case the president has the casting vote.
The Times of Israel Community.