ATA Hirofumi
Justice
ATA, Hirofumi
Date of Birth: May 14, 1960
Career
Education:
Graduated from the Faculty of Law, Doshisha University in 1984
Completed the Master’s Program at the Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University in 1988
Qualification:
Passed Japan’s national bar examination in 1986
Appointed as a legal apprentice in 1988
Professional Career:
- 1990
- Registered as an attorney (Osaka Bar Association)
- 2001
- Member, Osaka City Information Disclosure Review Board
- 2001
- Member, Osaka City-Funded Corporations Information Disclosure Review Board
- 2002
- Member, Companies Act (Non-Issuance of Share Certificates, etc.) Subcommittee, Legislative Council, Ministry of Justice
- 2004
- Professor, Doshisha Law School, Doshisha University
- 2005
- Expert Member, Osaka City-Supervised Organizations Evaluation Committee (reorganized into Osaka City-Affiliated Organizations Evaluation Committee in April 2007)
- 2010
- Member, Osaka City-Designated Organizations Management Oversight Committee
- 2010
- Bar Examiner for Commercial Code, National Bar Examination (New National Bar Examination), Ministry of Justice
- 2010
- Member, Osaka City Council Information Disclosure Review Committee
- 2013
- Member, Osaka City-Affiliated Organizations Evaluation Committee
- 2016
- Member, Civil Enforcement Act Subcommittee, Legislative Council, Ministry of Justice
- 2017
- Member, Osaka City Large-Scale Project Risk Management Committee
- 2018
- Visiting Professor, Doshisha Law School, Doshisha University
- 2020
- Member, Subcommittee on Civil Procedure Law (IT-related Matters), Legislative Council, Ministry of Justice
- February 2, 2026
- Justice of the Supreme Court
Motto, hobbies, etc.
Things to Keep in Mind as a Justice
I am aware of the influence that the Supreme Court’s rulings have, and I am committed to fulfilling my duties as a Justice of the Supreme Court in a calm, confident and steadfast manner.
Favorite Words
“Neither fear nor underestimate” “Cool head, warm heart”
Books that Left an Impression on Me
I read extensively and randomly. In the past, I often read novels, but these days, I mostly read biographies and critical essays, such as “More to read! : Ryunosuke Akutagawa” by Yasufumi Noda etc. (Sakuhinsha, 2024) and “The Real Kafka” by Kiyoko Myojo (Kodansha Ltd., 2024).
One of the books I have read recently that left a lasting impression on me is “Why we can perceive non-existent senses – Unraveling the mystery of synesthesia” by Shogo Makioka (Kobunsha Shinsho series, 2025).
Hobbies
Reading: I make a point of getting hold of new books by authors like Saburo Kawamoto, Inuhiko Yomota, Masahiko Abe, Motoyuki Shibata, and Yukiko Kounosu, whenever they are published.
Watching movies and visiting art museums: I enjoy making time to visit movie theaters and exhibitions. Whenever I visit, I buy the leaflets and exhibition catalogs, and I flip through them again from time to time.