早稲田大学　国際教養学部　AO入試　志望理由書　提出例(池島 大策 教授参考)

早稲田大学　国際教養学部　AO入試　志望理由書　提出例(池島 大策 教授参考)

Dear Admission Office, 

Out of excitement to join such prestigious yet progressive school, I am writing this letter with an intention to explain my purpose in applying for School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University, hoping to pursue a major in International Law and Communications later in my academic years. I would be more than grateful if you could kindly give it a read and grant me an admission. During the in-person interview, I would also be delighted to expand more on my area of studies and what I can achieve upon joining the school.

As traffic of goods and people grow in the region, disputes over maritime borders and land has been a hot topic in the last years. China’s territorial disputes with its neighbors in the South China Sea have become a major point of contention and maybe even a source of future violent conflict, and the rising superpower is far from the only country in the area with conflicts. China and India, the two most populous countries in the world, have numerous lasting boundary disputes. So do regional powers like Russia and Japan, along with more peripheral players in central Asia and the South China Sea. 

Recent developments to note, tensions between China and both the Philippines and Vietnam have recently cooled with some international intervention, but China continues to construct military and industrial outposts on artificial islands it has built in disputed waters. These disputes are no doubt mainly due to roughly estimated 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and China’s attitude has angered many competing claimants Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. As early as the 1970s, countries began to claim islands and various zones in the South China Sea, such as the Spratly Islands which possess rich natural resources and fishing areas. 

The United States has stepped up its military activity and naval presence in the region, including freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in 2018. In a speech from President Trump, he emphasized the importance of such operations, and of ensuring free and open access to the South China Sea between countries that share surface.

However, what concerns the international community is the disagreement between major players. China maintains that under international law, foreign militaries are not able to conduct intelligence-gathering activities, such as reconnaissance flights, in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). According to the United States and other claimant countries, under UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), there should have freedom of navigation through EEZs in the sea and are not required to notify claimants of military activities. In 2016, even the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issued its ruling on a claim brought against China by the Philippines under UNCLOS, ruling in favor of the Philippines on almost every count. Nonetheless, China refuses to accept the court’s authority. Similar cases where international court turned useless, include dispute over Northern Islands between Korea, Russia and Japan.

It truly is a problem that recent generations are completely indifferent to these matters. We live in a world of many changes and new orders, however, there are positive and negative consequences that come with it, and more than ever being made aware of the history and international law has been so important to navigate the mass information. Therefore, I feel passionate about gaining broad knowledge in international law studies from diverse perspectives and major in communications. I am very impressed with a wide range of study programs that can be found on online syllabus. And in order for me to attain high-level education and equip myself with what is needed to survive the next decades of globalization and competition, it is extremely important for me to study various international studies among like-minded students at Waseda where liberal studies is offered. Thank you very much for reading and I am very much looking forward to hearing good news.