Some Considerations for the Modernization of the Rome Convention, in case of Unlawful Interference

Most compensation issues are regulated under domestic law where third parties are suffered damage from crushes of aircrafts or their falling objects. This issue was internationally recognized. A Convention to unify the rules of the law concerning damage caused by aircraft to the third parties on the surface was signed in May, 1933( the 1933 Rome Convention) and it became effective in 1942. Later, modernization was carried out through the 1952 Rome Convention and the 1978 Montreal Protocol amending the 1933 Rome Convention. Ratifying States either to the Convention or to the Protocol is not as many as those States to the Warsaw Convention concerning air-transport. In 1999, which was a turning point of changes of centuries from the twentieth century to the twenty first century, the Montreal Convention was passed to modernize the Warsaw Convention, and was quickly widespread. On September 11 2001, the coordinated simultaneous terror attacks occurred. In the circumstances, the issue modernizing the Rome Convention came up. Thus, workout under the initiatives of the Legal Committee of the ICAO is under operation to adopt new Rome Convention. In Japan, a study on the ICAO Draft Convention was operated by which a working study group composed of experts from academy, industry and government was set up. This article, being based on that study, clarifies issues and gives future perspectives. This article presents author's individual views.