The Center for Asian Legal Exchange (CALE) is the first institution of its kind to be established in Japan. Its purpose is to promote international cooperation in the fields of legal and political research and education. CALE acts as the main Japanese coordinator organization in a wider national and international network of organizations involved in research on Asian politics and law, as well as in legal assistance projects for Asian countries in social and economic transition. CALE's activities include academic research in the targeted countries, analysis of assistance needs, development of assistance methodology, and legal education training for personnel involved in legal reform.