Born in Tokyo in 1937.

Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (President 2011-2014); and Board Director, Japan Investment Advisor Co., Ltd.

After having studied law at the University of Tokyo, he joined the Japanese Foreign Service in 1961 and held various positions including Consul General in San Francisco, Legal Advisor to the Foreign Minister, Executive Secretary of the Prime Minister’s PKO Office, Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau, Deputy-Foreign Minister, Vice-Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States.

Following retirement from the Foreign Service, Professor of Law until 2007 at Waseda University and Chuo University in Tokyo; Board Director, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation until 2012; and the Chairman of the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security until 2014.