Kazuto Ishida

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Kazuto Ishida (Japanese: 石田和外; May 20, 1903 – May 9, 1979) was the 5th Chief Justice of Japan (1969–1973). He was a practitioner of kendo. He was a graduate of the University of Tokyo.

As an associate justice in the mid-1960s, Ishida penned a dissenting opinion in a Grand Bench decision limiting criminal prosecution of labor leaders. This was a contributing factor to his appointment as Chief Justice by Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1968, in an attempt to give the court more conservative leadership at a time when Japan saw massive radical student demonstrations. One of Ishida's final decisions, in 1973, expanded police powers to punish demonstrators.[1] Ishida's court was the first in a line of conservative Supreme Court benches that continued into the early 21st century.[2]

After his tenure as Chief Justice, Ishida formed the National Congress to Achieve Legislation of the Gengo System in order to establish a law authorizing the Emperor to determine Japanese era names.[3]

Ishida was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun and a member of the All Japan Kendo Federation.


Preceded by Chief Justice of Japan
1969–1973
Succeeded by

References[edit]

  1. ^ Repeta, Lawrence [in Japanese] (2011). "Reserved Seats on Japan's Supreme Court". Washington University Law Review. 88: 1726–1734.
  2. ^ Asakura, Takuya (2002-06-22). "A judiciary ruled by conscience or politics?". The Japan Times Online. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  3. ^ "Legalized Imperial Calendar Sought by Japan's Rightists". The New York Times. 1979-02-14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-26.

Bibliography[edit]

  • 山本祐司『最高裁物語(上・下)』(日本評論社、1994年)(講談社+α文庫、1997年)