School of Law

Staff

Biography
Tom is a Japanese scholar who joined the School in 2006. After finishing his first degree in International Relations (1997), Tom came to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies. He obtained MA in Theory and Practice of Human Rights at Essex (1998), LLM in International Criminal Law at Sussex (1999), and PhD in Law at Nottingham. Before starting his PhD, Tom worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Office of Japan and the Republic of Korea (1999-2000). Prior to joining the School, Tom lectured at University of Dundee (2004-2006).

His research focus has been on trafficking of human beings, and he currently serves as a Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on Human Rights of the Westminster Parliament. P reviously he was an Independent Expert for a joint European Union/Council of Europe project on the subject matter. In 2006, he published a book entitled Trafficking of Human Beings From a Human Rights Perspective: Towards a Holistic Approach from Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, and currently working on his second monograph provisionally entitled Transnational Organised Crime in International Law (Hart Publishing 2008/09) and a Textbook on International Human Rights Law (Hart Publishing 2009/10).  

In relation to other external activities, Tom serves as a researcher for the International Human Rights Network and reviews book proposals for Ashgate Publishing.

Teaching

Undergraduate:

• Criminal Law
• Human Rights

Postgraduate

• Human Rights I & II

Research

Public International Law, International Human Rights Law, European/Transnational Criminal Justice, Refugee and Migration Law.

‘Illicit Cycle of Narcotics from a Human Rights Perspective’ (2007) 25 Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights 159-187

Trafficking of Human Beings from a Human Rights Perspective: Towards a Holistic Approach (2006) Martinus Nijhoff Publishers

‘A Human Rights Framework to Address Trafficking of Human Beings' (2006) 24 Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights 379-404

‘Smuggling of Human Beings from a Human Rights Perspective: Obligations of Non-State and State Actors under International Human Rights Law' (2005) 17 International Journal of Refugee Law 394-415

‘Trafficking of Human Beings as a Crime against Humanity: Some Implications for the International Legal System' (2005) 54 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 445-457

‘EU Council Framework Decision on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings: A Critical Appraisal' (2003) 40 Common Market Law Review 917-936

Administration

• Postgraduate C-ordinator 2007- Present
• Assistant Director of the Human Rights Centre 2006 - present