Abstract
We are facing two serious crises: the environmental problem and the welfare problem. The former began when Westerners conquered and controlled nature. Although man used nature to establish our modern socio-economic system, an excessive pursuit of wealth and goods occurred resulting in the exhaustion of natural resources and the destruction of the environment. We are now compelled to transform this system. In addition, the first victims of pollution in Japan were the socially weak, that is to say, children, the poor, the disabled and the elderly. In this sense, the environmental problem caused the welfare problem and the two are closely interrelated. Therefore, when we consider the latter we must return to the former and approach both crises from a global perspective. In legal terms, we must consider both environmental law, which protects nature, and welfare law, which protects the weak, not only as a domestic problem but also as an international problem. Based on these considerations, we will come to the conclusion that we must transform the welfare state into an "international welfare society".
