Supreme Court of Japan > About the Supreme Court > Justices of the supreme court > OKA Masaaki
Justice
OKA, Masaaki
Date of Birth: February 2, 1956
Career
Education
Graduated from Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu High School in 1974
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law in 1980
Qualification
Appointed as a legal apprentice in 1980
Professional Career:
- 1982
- Registered as an attorney（Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association)
- 1986
- Researcher (income tax), Japan Tax Research Institute
- 1996
- Examiner, Qualification Examinations for Real Estate Transaction Specialists
- 2004
- Outside Auditor, Nifco Inc.
- 2005
- Lecturer, School of Law, University of Tokyo
- 2008
- Vice President, Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association
- 2009
- Member of the Civil Law Committee (Claims), Legislative Council, Ministry of Justice
- 2010
- Chairperson, Bankruptcy Law Committee, Japan Federation of Bar Associations
- 2011
- Member of the Supervisory Board, National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations
- 2014
- Representative Director, Japanese Association for Business Recovery
- 2015
- Vice President, Japan Federation of Bar Associations
- 2015
- President, Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association
- 2015
- Outside Auditor, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
- 2016
- Member of the Quality Control Oversight Board, Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- 2018
- Outside Director, Sumitomo Life Insurance Company
- 2019
- Outside Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
- 2021
- September 3, 2021 Justice of the Supreme Court
Motto, hobbies, etc.
Things to Keep in Mind as a Justice
Article 76, paragraph (3) of the Constitution of Japan provides: "All judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and the performance of their duties and shall be bound only by this Constitution and the laws." I will always bear this in mind and take it as my fundamental code of conduct.
I will make effort day by day to improve and enhance my "conscience" that I should exercise; although I must be "independent", always check myself to not become dogmatic; and, "in the performance of my duties," cope with each and every case with all my energy, making it a principle to "read records and materials well, think with my own head, express my opinion plainly, and engage in multifaceted and deep deliberations with my fellow Justices."
The Constitution also provides, in Article 81, that: "The Supreme Court is the court of last resort with power to determine the constitutionality of any law, order, regulation or official act." Taking this into my heart, I will fulfill my constitutional responsibility.
Books that Left an Impression on Me
"Chuūō Ginkō" (Central Bank) written by SHIRAKAWA Masaaki (Toyo Keizai, Inc.)
"Artificial intelligence vs. Children who can't read textbooks" written by ARAI Noriko (Toyo Keizai, Inc.)
"Aru Meijijin no Kiroku" (A Record of a Man in the Meiji Era) written and edited by ISHIMITSU Mahito (Chuko Shinsho)
"Tsuyama Sanjūnin Goroshi" (30 Murders in Tsuyama) written by TSUKUBA Akira (Shincho Bunko)
"Don Quixote," "The Iliad," "The Odyssey," and "One Thousand and One Nights" (Iwanami Bunko)
Hobbies
For these three years, I have been enjoying mountain walking (trekking), twice a month in the high season, if possible. I usually go to the mountains mainly in the Kanto region, such as Tanzawa, Hakone, Okutama, and Chichibu, but there are also mountains in other regions that are impressive to me, such as Mt. Yotei, Mt. Shari, Mt. Rausu, Yakushima Island (Jomonsugi, or Jomon cedar trees), and Mt. Myoko.
I also have a hobby that I have enjoyed for more than 30 years: growing flowers in planters. I have regularly grown tulips (I plant about 100 bulbs every year), roses (this year I enjoy Papa Meilland), and chrysanthemum morifolium or "saga giku." In 2021, morning glory grew in clusters as I scattered spare seeds.