ALSA 2025 meeting

Tsushima, a remote island situated between Japan and South Korea, is the third-largest island in Japan, with an estimated population of 30,000. Despite the fact that older adults comprise approximately 40% of the population—and the pace of demographic aging is rapidly accelerating—Tsushima has long been regarded as a “barren land” in terms of adult guardianship. Until recently, the number of adult guardianship cases processed on the island remained extremely low. This phenomenon is believed to result from a combination of economic, informational, and psychological barriers—commonly cited obstacles to access to justice—as well as Tsushima’s distinctive geographical isolation and tightly knit community structures. Consequently, the use of formal legal procedures in general, not only adult guardianship, has remained limited in this region.
A significant shift occurred with the arrival of a full-time public attorney from an urban area outside the island. Motivated by the question of why legal systems, particularly adult guardianship, were so underutilized in Tsushima despite evident demographic need, the lawyer engaged in a variety of collaborative efforts with local social service providers. Of particular note was her work in developing a framework for implementing corporate guardianship through the social welfare council in Tsushima. As a result of these initiatives, the number of adult guardianship-related cases increased substantially—from zero in 2015 to over 20 cases annually by 2020—with the trend continuing upward in subsequent years.
This study examines the dynamic process through which legal practice was adapted and expanded in a geographically isolated setting, with a particular focus on the role of the legal professional in facilitating systemic change.