List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Japan
The Supreme Court of Japan is the highest court in Japan, composed of fifteen justices. The Chief Justice is nominated by the Cabinet and appointed to office by the Emperor, while associate justices are appointed by the Cabinet in attestation of the Emperor. The Judiciary Act fixes the total number of justices at 15, but allows the Court itself to specify how many justices sit on a petty bench. By law, at least ten out of the fifteen justices must have either ten years of combined experience as judges, or twenty years of combined experience as judges, lawyers, or professors.
Japan's bar associations are careful to select lawyers whose terms will be shorter than those of nominated former judges. This causes quick turnover of justices, which has resulted in a perception of the Court as a "nameless, faceless judiciary."
After appointment, Supreme Court justices are subject to a "people's review": an automatic retention referendum in which the voters may remove the judge from office. A people's review occurs at the first election to the House of Representatives after a justice assumes office, when the question of whether his tenure should continue is put to voters on the ballot. The Supreme Court justice is then subject to a further people's review at the first lower house election after every ten years., no Supreme Court justice has ever been dismissed by a people's review.
Justices
This is a list of all current and former justices of the modern Supreme Court of Japan.Title | Name | Term start | Term end | Term length | University | Notes |
Chief Justice | Naoto Ōtani | February 17, 2015 | Tokyo | Former judge. President, Osaka High Court | ||
Justice | Atsushi Yamaguchi | February 6, 2017 | Tokyo | Former attorney; member, Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association | ||
Justice | Kiyoko Okabe | April 12, 2010 | March 19, 2019 | Keio | Former judge; professor, Keio University School of Law | |
Justice | Tsuneyuki Yamamoto | August 20, 2013 | September 25, 2019 | Kyoto | Civil servant. Director-General, the Cabinet Legislation Bureau | |
Justice | Toshimitsu Yamasaki | April 1, 2014 | August 30, 2019 | Tokyo | Former assistant judge; President, Tokyo High Court. | |
Justice | Masayuki Ikegami | October 2, 2014 | Tohoku | Former prosecutor, Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office. | ||
Justice | Hiroshi Koike | April 2, 2015 | Tokyo | Former assistant judge; President, Tokyo High Court | ||
Justice | Katsuyuki Kizawa | July 19, 2016 | Rikkyo | Former attorney; Inspector of Kake Educational Institution | ||
Justice | Hiroyuki Kanno | September 5, 2016 | Tohoku | Former judge; President, Osaka High Court | ||
Justice | Saburo Tokura | March 14, 2017 | Hitotsubashi | Judge; President, Tokyo High Court | ||
Justice | Keiichi Hayashi | April 10, 2017 | Kyoto | Diplomat, Ambassador to the United Kingdom | ||
Justice | Yuko Miyazaki | January 9, 2018 | Tokyo | Professor, University of Tokyo | ||
Justice | Takuya Miyama | January 9, 2018 | Tokyo | Judge; President, Tokyo High Court | ||
Justice | Mamoru Miura | February 26, 2018 | Tokyo | Prosecutor, Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office | ||
Justice | Koichi Kusano | February 13, 2019 | Keio | |||
Justice | Takehiko Otani | June 17, 2010 | March 9, 2017 | Tokyo | Former judge. President, Osaka High Court. | |
Justice | Masaharu Ōhashi | February 13, 2012 | March 30, 2017 | Tokyo | Attorney; official in the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations | |
Justice | Yoshinobu Onuki | April 11, 2012 | January 16, 2018 | Chuo | Prosecutor; professor, Asia University | |
Justice | Kaoru Onimaru | February 6, 2013 | February 6, 2019 | Tokyo | Attorney; Chairperson of the Special Committee on the Rights of the Aged and Disabled | |
Justice | Michiyoshi Kiuchi | April 25, 2013 | January 1, 2018 | Tokyo | Attorney; Chairperson of the Project Team on the Hague Convention | |
Justice | Katsumi Chiba | December 28, 2009 | August 24, 2016 | Tokyo | Judge; President, Sendai High Court | |
Justice | Koji Miyakawa | September 3, 2008 | February 27, 2012 | Nagoya | Instructor at the Legal Training and Research Institute; attorney | |
Justice | Tokuji Izumi | November 6, 2002 | January 24, 2009 | Kyoto | Judge; President, Tokyo High Court | |
Chief Justice | Niro Shimada | November 7, 2002 | November 21, 2008 | Tokyo | Judge; President, Osaka High Court | |
Justice | Kazuko Yokoo | December 19, 2001 | September 11, 2008 | ICU | Diplomat; Ambassador of Japan to Ireland | |
Justice | Chiharu Saiguchi | January 6, 2004 | September 2, 2008 | Chūō | Attorney; Member, Advisory Committee on Civil Rules of the Supreme Court | |
Justice | Osamu Tsuno | February 26, 2004 | October 19, 2008 | Kyoto | Bureaucrat; attorney; Director-General, Cabinet Legislation Bureau | |
Justice | Shigeo Takii | June 11, 2002 | October 30, 2006 | Kyoto | Attorney | |
Justice | Kohei Nasu | May 25, 2006 | February 10, 2012 | Tokyo | Attorney; Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Research of Japan Law Foundation | |
Justice | Yoshiki Yamaura | March 1, 2012 | July 3, 2016 | Hitotsubashi | ||
Chief Justice | Itsuro Terada | December 27, 2012 | January 8, 2018 | Tokyo | Judge; son of 10th Chief Justice Jiro Terada. | |
Justice | Yuu Shiraki | January 15, 2010 | February 14, 2015 | |||
Justice | Tomoyuki Yokota | January 6, 2010 | October 1, 2014 | Chuo | ||
Justice | Masahiko Sudo | December 28, 2009 | December 26, 2012 | Chuo | ||
Justice | Seishi Kanetsuki | January 26, 2009 | March 31, 2015 | Tokyo | Judge; former President, Osaka High Court. | |
Chief Justice | Hironobu Takesaki | November 25, 2008 | March 31, 2014 | |||
Justice | Yukio Takeuchi | October 21, 2008 | July 19, 2013 | Kyoto | ||
Justice | Ryuko Sakurai | September 11, 2008 | January 15, 2017 | Kyushu | ||
Justice | Takaharu Kondo | May 23, 2007 | November 21, 2010 | |||
Justice | Mutsuo Tahara | November 1, 2006 | April 22, 2013 | Kyoto | ||
Justice | Norio Wakui | October 16, 2006 | December 17, 2009 | Kyoto | ||
Justice | Yuki Furuta | August 2, 2005 | April 7, 2012 | |||
Justice | Yukio Horigome | May 17, 2005 | June 15, 2010 | |||
Justice | Ryoji Nakagawa | January 19, 2005 | December 22, 2009 | Kanazawa | ||
Justice | Isao Imai | December 27, 2004 | December 25, 2009 | Kyoto | ||
Justice | Tatsuo Kainaka | October 7, 2002 | January 1, 2010 | Chuo | ||
Justice | Tokiyasu Fujita | September 30, 2002 | April 5, 2010 | |||
Justice | Toyozo Ueda | February 21, 2002 | May 22, 2007 | |||
Justice | Kunio Hamada | May 1, 2001 | May 23, 2006 | |||
Justice | Takehisa Fukuzawa | September 14, 2000 | January 4, 2004 | |||
Chief Justice | Akira Machida | March 22, 2000 | October 15, 2006 | |||
Justice | Gen Kajitani | April 21, 1999 | January 14, 2005 | |||
Justice | Masamichi Okuda | April 1, 1999 | September 27, 2002 | |||
Justice | Tsugio Kameyama | December 4, 1998 | February 25, 2004 | |||
Justice | Hiroharu Kitagawa | September 10, 1998 | December 26, 2004 | |||
Justice | Toshihiro Kanatani | October 31, 1997 | May 16, 2005 | |||
Justice | Takao Ode | September 24, 1997 | December 19, 2001 | |||
Justice | Toshifumi Motohara | September 8, 1997 | April 21, 2001 | |||
Chief Justice | Shigeru Yamaguchi | March 10, 1997 | November 3, 2002 | |||
Justice | Masao Fujii | November 7, 1995 | November 6, 2002 | |||
Justice | Hiroshi Fukuda | September 4, 1995 | August 1, 2005 | |||
Justice | Kazutomo Ijima | August 11, 1995 | October 6, 2002 | |||
Justice | Mitsuo Endo | February 13, 1995 | September 12, 2000 | |||
Justice | Shinichi Kawai | July 25, 1994 | June 10, 2002 | |||
Justice | Yukinobu Ozaki | February 16, 1994 | April 18, 1999 | |||
Justice | Hisako Takahashi | February 9, 1994 | September 20, 1997 | |||
Justice | Shigeharu Negishi | January 11, 1994 | December 3, 1998 | |||
Justice | Hideo Chikusa | September 13, 1993 | February 20, 2002 | |||
Justice | Masaru Oshiro | April 13, 1993 | February 13, 1995 | |||
Justice | Masao Ono | April 1, 1993 | September 2, 1997 | |||
Chief Justice | Toru Miyoshi | March 25, 1992 | October 30, 1997 | |||
Justice | Motoo Ono | February 13, 1992 | March 15, 2000 | |||
Justice | Katsuya Onishi | May 13, 1991 | September 9, 1998 | |||
Justice | Osamu Mimura | December 10, 1990 | February 6, 1994 | |||
Justice | Ryohei Kizaki | September 3, 1990 | July 24, 1994 | |||
Justice | Tsuneo Kabe | May 10, 1990 | March 8, 1997 | |||
Justice | Shoichiro Sato | February 20, 1990 | February 15, 1994 | |||
Justice | Toshijiro Nakajima | January 24, 1990 | September 1, 1995 | |||
Justice | Shirohei Hashimoto | January 11, 1990 | April 12, 1993 | |||
Chief Justice | Ryohachi Kusaba | November 27, 1989 | November 7, 1995 | |||
Justice | Itsuo Sonobe | September 21, 1989 | March 31, 1999 | |||
Justice | Seiichi Ohori | June 17, 1988 | August 10, 1995 | |||
Justice | Katsumi Teika | March 17, 1988 | September 12, 1993 | |||
Justice | Hisayuki Okuno | September 5, 1987 | August 26, 1990 | |||
Justice | Iwao Yotsuya | January 28, 1987 | February 8, 1992 | |||
Justice | Tonosuke Hayashi | June 13, 1986 | August 6, 1987 | |||
Justice | Tetsuro Sato | May 21, 1986 | January 4, 1990 | |||
Justice | Toshio Sakaue | January 17, 1986 | March 31, 1993 | |||
Justice | Yasukazu Kagawa | January 17, 1986 | May 4, 1991 | |||
Justice | Tsuneo Ouchi | November 5, 1985 | March 23, 1992 | |||
Justice | Akira Fujishima | May 23, 1985 | January 1, 1994 | |||
Justice | Masuo Takashima | December 17, 1984 | May 2, 1988 | |||
Justice | Atsushi Nagashima | June 12, 1984 | March 16, 1988 | |||
Justice | Rokuro Shimatani | May 8, 1984 | January 23, 1990 | |||
Chief Justice | Koichi Yaguchi | February 20, 1984 | February 19, 1990 | |||
Justice | Reijiro Tsunoda | November 8, 1983 | December 3, 1990 | |||
Justice | Mitsuhiko Yasuoka | October 1, 1982 | May 4, 1990 | |||
Justice | Seiichi Wada | August 16, 1982 | April 23, 1986 | |||
Justice | Keiji Maki | May 28, 1982 | November 24, 1989 | |||
Justice | Hisaharu Kidoguchi | April 12, 1982 | January 8, 1986 | |||
Justice | Susumu Ohashi | November 2, 1981 | June 12, 1986 | |||
Justice | Masataka Taniguchi | April 16, 1980 | January 27, 1987 | |||
Chief Justice | Jiro Terada | March 22, 1980 | November 3, 1985 | Father of 18th Chief Justice Itsuro Terada. | ||
Justice | Goichi Miyazaki | February 6, 1980 | May 4, 1984 | |||
Justice | Masami Ito | January 19, 1980 | September 20, 1989 | |||
Justice | Yasuyoshi Shiono | April 2, 1979 | May 22, 1985 | |||
Justice | Shigeyori Tsukamoto | April 2, 1979 | October 17, 1981 | |||
Justice | Tadayoshi Kinoshita | March 1, 1979 | January 14, 1986 | |||
Justice | Daizo Yokoi | September 22, 1978 | June 10, 1984 | |||
Justice | Jiro Nakamura | September 22, 1978 | February 19, 1984 | |||
Justice | Hiromu Toda | July 14, 1978 | March 25, 1980 | |||
Justice | Toru Motoyama | August 26, 1977 | August 10, 1982 | |||
Justice | Masato Fujisaki | April 5, 1977 | December 15, 1984 | |||
Justice | Kazuo Kurimoto | May 25, 1976 | May 26, 1982 | |||
Justice | Shoichi Tamaki | March 27, 1976 | April 11, 1982 | |||
Chief Justice | Takaaki Hattori | December 3, 1975 | September 30, 1982 | |||
Justice | Yuzuru Motobayashi | August 8, 1975 | March 30, 1979 | |||
Justice | Shigemitsu Dando | October 4, 1974 | November 7, 1983 | |||
Justice | Yutaka Yoshida | May 21, 1973 | February 28, 1979 | |||
Justice | Masami Takatsuji | April 4, 1973 | January 18, 1980 | |||
Justice | Kiichiro Otsuka | February 2, 1973 | February 4, 1980 | |||
Justice | Kiyoo Erikuchi | January 9, 1973 | March 19, 1980 | |||
Justice | Yasuo Kishigami | November 28, 1972 | September 21, 1978 | |||
Justice | Yoshikatsu Sakamoto | December 7, 1971 | March 26, 1976 | |||
Justice | Buichi Amano | May 21, 1971 | September 20, 1978 | |||
Justice | Seiichi Kishi | April 2, 1971 | July 13, 1978 | |||
Justice | Takeso Shimoda | January 12, 1971 | April 2, 1977 | |||
Justice | Nobuo Ogawa | December 22, 1970 | August 6, 1975 | |||
Chief Justice | Masao Okahara | October 28, 1970 | March 31, 1979 | |||
Chief Justice | Ekizo Fujibayashi | July 31, 1970 | August 25, 1977 | |||
Justice | Kosato Sekine | January 17, 1969 | December 2, 1975 | |||
Chief Justice | Tomokazu Murakami | November 19, 1968 | May 24, 1976 | |||
Justice | Yoshimi Iimura | September 20, 1967 | April 26, 1971 | |||
Justice | Masao Matsumoto | January 17, 1967 | December 5, 1971 | |||
Justice | Kenichiro Osumi | September 9, 1966 | October 1, 1974 | |||
Justice | Kotaro Irokawa | May 10, 1966 | January 29, 1973 | |||
Justice | Kazuo Shimomura | September 14, 1965 | January 1, 1973 | |||
Justice | Makoto Iwata | August 31, 1964 | November 25, 1972 | |||
Justice | Jiro Matsuda | January 31, 1964 | July 29, 1970 | |||
Justice | Jiro Tanaka | January 16, 1964 | March 31, 1973 | |||
Justice | Goroku Kashihara | December 13, 1963 | September 19, 1967 | |||
Justice | Yoshihiko Kido | June 6, 1963 | December 19, 1970 | |||
Chief Justice | Kazuto Ishida | June 6, 1963 | May 19, 1973 | |||
Justice | Kingo Osabe | April 5, 1963 | March 31, 1971 | |||
Justice | Asanosuke Kusaka | August 12, 1962 | October 24, 1970 | |||
Justice | Kitaro Saito | May 29, 1962 | August 9, 1964 | |||
Chief Justice | Masatoshi Yokota | February 28, 1962 | January 10, 1969 | |||
Justice | Kakiwa Gokijo | August 26, 1961 | December 31, 1966 | |||
Justice | Sakunosuke Yamada | December 27, 1960 | April 21, 1966 | |||
Chief Justice | Kisaburo Yokota | October 25, 1960 | August 5, 1966 | |||
Justice | Shuichi Ishisaka | June 28, 1958 | September 13, 1965 | |||
Justice | Tsuneshichi Takagi | June 28, 1958 | March 14, 1963 | |||
Justice | Kiyoshi Takahashi | January 30, 1957 | December 29, 1961 | |||
Justice | Kenichi Okuno | November 22, 1956 | November 17, 1968 | |||
Justice | Masuo Shimoiizaka | November 22, 1956 | January 28, 1964 | |||
Justice | Daisuke Kawamura | November 22, 1956 | June 1, 1963 | |||
Justice | Katsumi Tarumi | May 26, 1955 | November 14, 1963 | |||
Justice | Katsu Ikeda | November 2, 1954 | May 22, 1963 | |||
Justice | Toshio Irie | August 30, 1952 | January 9, 1971 | |||
Justice | Zentaro Motomura | January 21, 1952 | January 14, 1957 | |||
Justice | Shunzo Kobayashi | October 5, 1951 | June 2, 1958 | |||
Justice | Tadaichiro Tanimura | April 12, 1951 | November 10, 1956 | |||
Chief Justice | Kotaro Tanaka | March 3, 1950 | October 24, 1960 | |||
Justice | Shigeto Hozumi | February 26, 1949 | July 29, 1951 | |||
Justice | Matasuke Kawamura | August 4, 1947 | December 31, 1963 | |||
Justice | Saburo Iwamatsu | August 4, 1947 | November 10, 1956 | |||
Justice | Hachiro Fujita | August 4, 1947 | August 4, 1962 | |||
Justice | Yusuke Saito | August 4, 1947 | May 20, 1962 | |||
Justice | Tamotsu Shima | August 4, 1947 | August 24, 1961 | |||
Justice | Katsushige Kotani | August 4, 1947 | December 23, 1960 | |||
Justice | Riichi Shono | August 4, 1947 | June 28, 1948 | |||
Justice | Tsuyoshi Mano | August 4, 1947 | June 8, 1958 | |||
Justice | Shigeru Kuriyama | August 4, 1947 | October 5, 1956 | |||
Justice | Nobori Inoue | August 4, 1947 | April 9, 1955 | |||
Justice | Seiichi Shimoyama | August 4, 1947 | October 14, 1954 | |||
Justice | Takejiro Sawada | August 4, 1947 | August 1, 1952 | |||
Justice | Taichiro Hasegawa | August 4, 1947 | November 30, 1951 | |||
Justice | Naoyoshi Tsukasaki | August 4, 1947 | February 14, 1951 | |||
Chief Justice | Tadahiko Mibuchi | August 4, 1947 | March 2, 1950 | Kyoto |