LANGUAGE FOR EXPERTISE: International Law Terms in English, French, and Japanese

This is not the outcome of any deep or specialized study of international law, but rather a set of reference notes I organized for myself. For no particular reason, I arranged the main concepts in three languages—English, French, and Japanese. It is not meant as a professional commentary, but simply as a quick reference note capturing the basic concepts.

　

1. General Principles of International Law

English	French	Japanese	Note
International Law	Droit international	国際法	Governs relations between States
Natural Law	Droit naturel	自然法	Based on reason and justice
Peremptory norm / jus cogens	Norme impérative / jus cogens	強行規範（コーゲンス規範）	A superior norm from which no derogation is permitted
Customary International Law	Droit coutumier international	国際慣習法	Built on State practice + opinio juris
Law of Treaties	Droit des traités	条約法	In academic usage: general concept. In practice, distinguished from the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT).
International Legal Order	Ordre juridique international	国際法秩序	The overall structure of norms, institutions, and values

　

2. States and International Actors

English	French	Japanese	Note
State	État	国家	Primary subject of international law
Sovereignty	Souveraineté	主権	Independence, non-interference
Non-state actor	Acteur non-étatique	非国家主体	NGOs, multinational corporations, etc.
International Organization	Organisation internationale	国際機関	Established by treaty
International legal personality	Personnalité juridique internationale / Personnalité internationale	国際法上の法人格 / 国際的な法主体性	Personne morale internationale is less common; “personnalité juridique internationale” is standard.
Subject of International Law	Sujet du droit international	国際法の主体	Includes not only States but also IOs and individuals
State sovereignty	Souveraineté de l’État	国家主権	Principle of diplomatic independence and non-interference

　

3. Dispute Settlement & Judicial Institutions

English	French	Japanese	Note
International Court of Justice (ICJ)	Cour internationale de justice (CIJ)	国際司法裁判所	Principal judicial organ of the UN
Arbitration	Arbitrage	仲裁	Private means of dispute settlement
Jurisdiction	Compétence juridictionnelle	管轄権	Scope of legal authority
Universal jurisdiction	Compétence universelle	普遍的管轄権	Certain crimes may fall under the jurisdiction of all States

　

4. Other Core Concepts

English	French	Japanese	Note
Package deal	Accord global / Paquet	パッケージ合意	Negotiating method; “accord global” is the standard French term.
Casting vote	Voix prépondérante	決定票	Refers to the chair’s tie-breaking vote in assemblies.
Prohibition of the use of force	Interdiction du recours à la force	武力行使の禁止	UN Charter, Art. 2(4)
Right to self-determination	Droit des peuples à disposer d’eux-mêmes	自己決定権	Linked to decolonization
Humanitarian intervention	Intervention humanitaire	人道的介入	Today often discussed with the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) framework

　

5. International Criminal Law & Related Concepts

English	French	Japanese	Note
International Criminal Court (ICC)	Cour pénale internationale (CPI)	国際刑事裁判所	Based on the Rome Statute
International crimes	Crimes internationaux	国際犯罪	Includes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity
Genocide	Génocide	集団殺害（ジェノサイド）	Intentional destruction of a group
War crimes	Crimes de guerre	戦争犯罪	Violations of humanitarian law during armed conflict
Crimes against humanity	Crimes contre l’humanité	人道に対する罪	Widespread or systematic attacks on civilians
Arrest warrant	Mandat d’arrêt	逮捕状	ICC warrants often in news (e.g. Putin)
Wanted / On the wanted list	Recherché	指名手配	Refers to international wanted notices
Violation of the Rome Statute	Violation du Statut de Rome	ローマ規程違反	Often cited in ICC jurisdiction debates
Criminal prosecution	Poursuites pénales	刑事訴追	Relates to indictments of international criminals

　

6. Treaty Interpretation and Validity

English	French	Japanese	Note
Conflict with jus cogens	Incompatibilité avec une norme impérative	強行規範との抵触	Such treaties are void or terminated
Treaty	Traité	条約	Legally binding agreement between States
Convention / Agreement	Convention / Accord	協約 / 協定	Sector-specific or thematic treaties

　

7. State Responsibility & Wrongful Acts

English	French	Japanese	Note
Internationally wrongful act	Acte internationalement illicite	国際不法行為	Requires breach + attribution
State responsibility	Responsabilité de l’État	国家責任	Liability for wrongful acts under international law
Attribution	Attribution	帰属性	Whether the act can be attributed to the State
Circumstances precluding wrongfulness	Circonstances excluant l’illicéité	違法性阻却事由	Self-defense, consent, necessity, etc.
State compensation	Réparation par l’État	国家賠償	Frequently referenced in East Asian diplomatic disputes
Diplomatic protest	Protestation diplomatique	外交抗議	Formal protest following a wrongful act
Legal responsibility	Responsabilité juridique	法的責任	Linked to recognition or apology
Judicial remedy	Recours judiciaire	司法的手続き	Available through international judicial proceedings

　

8. Supplementary Concepts

English	French	Japanese	Note
Friendly Relations Principles	Principes de relations amicales	友好関係原則	UNGA Resolution 1970
Shared or joint responsibility (sometimes termed “solidary responsibility”)	Responsabilité solidaire	連帯責任	In legal texts sometimes “solidary responsibility of States”
No derogation clause / No derogation permitted	Absence de dérogation	権利放棄条項の排除条項	In jus cogens, “no derogation clause” is the precise term
UN Security Council resolution	Résolution du Conseil de sécurité	安保理決議	Common in sanctions/intervention contexts
International pressure	Pression internationale	国際社会の圧力	Often in human rights or intervention debates
UN Charter	Charte des Nations Unies	国連憲章	Central to use-of-force debates
Double standard	Deux poids, deux mesures	二重基準	Criticism of inconsistent international responses

　

Usage Examples

• ICJ (International Court of Justice)
  “South Africa filed a case at the ICJ, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention.”
• Universal Jurisdiction
  “A German court applied universal jurisdiction to prosecute a former Syrian officer.”
• Prohibition of the Use of Force
  “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was described as a breach of the UN Charter’s prohibition of the use of force.”
• Right to Self-determination
  “Catalonia’s independence movement is often linked to the right to self-determination.”
• ICC / Arrest Warrant
  “The ICC issued an arrest warrant for a political leader accused of war crimes.”　

　

I hope it will serve as a small aid to understanding when reading actual international news and articles.

　

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