ANJeL Visiting Professionals Scheme

 

ANJeL facilitates a variety of legal professionals visiting Australia. For example, ANJeL has hosted professionals from the Japanese Ministry of Justice (Prosecutors' Office), National Police Agency, and private law firms. In addition, ANJeL, along with its affiliate University of Melbourne's Asian Law Centre, has a commitment to hosting Japanese judges and court clerks through the Supreme Court of Japan research abroad program. Stacey Steele of the Asian Law Centre has been appointed Director of ANJeL's Judges-in-Residence Program Committee, which also includes ANJeL's Co-Directors.

 

ANJeL Visiting Professionals Reunion

ANJeL is pleased to share the following photograph from a recent reunion of past visiting professionals

[Left to right, including year and city visited] Ms. Kitaoka (2007/Canberra), Judge Yasukawa (2010/Sydney), Professor Luke Nottage (ANJeL Co-director), Judge Kawajiri (2006/Melbourne), Judge Miura (2005/Melbourne), Judge Hashiguchi (2009/Sydney), Judge Sonoda (2011/Sydney), Judge Taniike (2011/Melbourne), Mr. Karube (2010/Canberra), Ms. Ishihara (2013/Canberra), Ms. Hara (2009/Canberra)

Profiles of Past/Present Visiting Professionals

Judge Sachiyo Kitagawa (from June 2012) from Fukuoka District Court will be based at the Melbourne Law School for a year to study methods of out-of-court dispute resolution and preservation of evidence.

Atsuko Yanagase worked as a clerk in the Kyoto Family Court and will be based at ANU to study matters related to the Australian court system.

 

Judge Shinpei Takarazuka (from June 2012) from Fukuoka District Court will be based at the Sydney Law School for a year to compare expedited case management and expert evidence in civil and administrative cases.

 

Judge Minoru Sonoda (from July 2011)
Judge Sonoda, a graduate of the University of Tokyo and seconded from the Tokyo District Court, is based at Sydney Law School in 2011 to research the reforms of the civil justice system to expedite civil trials, such as the new case management system and the introduction of the ‘Fast Track Directions’ in the Federal Court to reduce duration and costs.

 

Judge Atsuyuki Taniike (from July 2011)
Judge Taniike is an Assistant Judge in civil trial cases at the Tokyo District Court, Japan.  Judge Taniike is a visiting Judge at the Melbourne Law School for 2011-2012. The Judge’s main research interests are a comparative analysis of (1) contract law and (2) the civil jury systems, between Australia and Japan. In pursing this research task, Judge Taniike will undertake studies in Australian contract and obligations laws. The Judge will also make court visits, meet with legal professionals, including practitioners and the Juries Commissioner of Victoria, and attend seminars at the University of Melbourne.

 

Judge Hidemasa Yasukawa (from July 2010)

Judge Yasukawa, a graduate of the University of Tokyo seconded from the Kagoshima District Court, is based at Sydney Law School in 2010 to study in particular how New South Wales - known as the "defamation capital of Australia" - uses jury trials in defamation cases.

 

Judge Gen Ueno (from June 2010)

Judge Gen Ueno was appointed an assistant judge in October 2001. He has served on the Fukuoka District Court, the Sakai Branch of the Osaka District and Family Court, and most recently the Okayama Family Court. Through this work Judge Ueno has developed a strong interest in family law. Judge Ueno will continue to pursue this interest during his time at Melbourne Law School, where his research will focus on the divorce dispute settlement procedures used in Australia and the role of the mediator in the Australian legal system.

 

Judge Toshiyuki Abe (from late June 2009)

Judge Abe has served with the Yokohama District Court since his appointment as an associate judge in October 2006. A graduate of Keio University, Judge Abe has a strong interest in medical malpractice litigation. While based at Melbourne Law School Judge Abe will continue to pursue this interest, focusing on the use of medical experts in malpractice cases in Australian courts, and alternative dispute resolution in this area of law.

 

Judge Yoshinori Hashiguchi (from late June 2009)

Judge Hashiguchi, who has served in the Kagoshima District Court since his appointment as associate judge in October 2006, will be based in the new Sydney Law School building. A graduate of the University of Tokyo, his research in Australia will focus on two pressing issues as Japan recommences in May 2009 a quasi-jury (saiban'in) system for serious criminal cases: (1) how such systems interact with media coverage of trials, and (2) the use of "bench books".

 

Ms. Emiko Yasunaka (from July 2008)

Ms. Yasunaka is a senior staffer from the General Affairs Division of the Tokyo High Court. Her research interests include the Australian system of civil justice (including Alternative Dispute Resolution) and the Australian courts approach to public relations.

 

Mr. Kazuto Hatano (from July 2008)

Mr Hatano is a technical official with the National Police Agency who is studying digital forensics techniques used in the Australian police forces and frameworks for digital forensics.

 

Judge Atsushi Shiraishi (from late June 2008)

Judge Shiraishi will join the Asian Law Centre in the Law School at the University of Melbourne as a Visiting Research Scholar. Judge Shiraishi is currently a judge in Criminal Division 16 of the Tokyo District Court. He has over 7 years experience and has received his appointment as a special assistant judge (tokurei hanji-ho).

 

Judge Yoshinori Nishioka (from late June 2008)

Judge Nishioka, from the Tokyo District Court will be based at the University of New South Wales. Judge Nishioka has three years experience hearing criminal matters. His main area of interest is the social mechanisms supporting the jury system and their cultural background and management in Australia, a diverse society and how that may relate to the 'saiban-in' or lay jury system to be introduced in Japan in 2009.

		Ms Aya Kitaoka (from July 2007) Ms Kitaoka was a court administrator from the Tokyo Family Court who visited the ANU College of Law to study the use of technology in the Australian justice system and the jury system. Ms. Emiko Yasunaka took Ms. Kitaoka’s place in July 2008.   Mr Masanori Hiramatsu (from July 2007) Mr. Hiramatsu was a Visitor from the National Police Agency to the ANU College of Law who undertook a comparative study of lawful interception systems in Australia and Japan. Mr Kazuto Hatano took Mr. Hiramatsu’s place in July 2008.
(from left): Ms Aya Kitaoka, Mr Kent Anderson and Mr Masanori Hiramatsu.

 

Ms Masako Yabu (from November 2007)

Ms Yabu, a Japanese prosecutor from the Shizuoka District Prosecutors Office, visited the ANU College of Law to study police recording systems when interviewing suspects.

 

Judge Shimpei Takahashi (from late June 2007)

Judge Takahashi from the Yokohama District Court was mainly based at the University of Sydney. Judge Takahashi had a particular interest in the area of administrative law, including migration law.

 

Judge Takamoto Hagiwara (from late June 2007)

Judge Hagiwara from Tokyo District court was based mainly at the University of Melbourne. Judge Hagiwara had a particular interest in medical negligence cases.

 

Judge Eriko Kawajiri (from late June 2006)

Judge Kawajiri from the Tokyo District Court was based mainly at the University of Melbourne. Judge Kawajiri was interested in the criminal justice system in Australia, especially the jury system, support and legal resources for victims of crime and rehabilitation programs. Judge Kawajiri published an article in the legal periodical Hanrei Taimuzu following her Visitorship entitled "CREDIT / Bail Support Program: O-sutoraria Bikutoriashu no Hoshaku Shien Seido" [The CREDIT / Bail Support Program in the State of Victoria, Australia]. Click here for the text of Judge Kawajiri’s article (in Japanese).

 

Judge Takashi Masuo (from late June 2006)

Judge Masuo from Kurume Branch of Fukuoka District Court was based mainly at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. Judge Masuo was interested in civil procedure and ADR in Australia, especially case management, expert witnesses and medical negligence cases.

Judge Masuo published an article in the legal periodical Hanrei Taimuzu following his Visitorship entitled "Nyu sausu ue-ruzu shu saiko saibansho oyobi O-sutoraria renpo saibansho ni okeru senmonka shonin seido no kaikaku" [Reform of the Expert Witness Systems in the NSW Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Australia]. Click here for the text of Judge Masuo’s article (in Japanese).

 

Mr Genta Yoshino (from September 2006)

Mr Genta Yoshino was a prosecutor from the Japanese Ministry of Justice. He was based at ANU for six months researching Australian approaches to victims' rights.

 

Judge Kayoko Ishida (from late June 2005)

Judge Ishida from the Saitama District Court was based mainly at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. Judge Ishida was especially interested in criminal proceedings and participation of the general public in the justice system.

Judge Ishida published an article following her Visitorship entitled "O-sutoraria no baishin shinri o bocho shite" [Observations on Australian Jury Deliberations]. Click here for the text of Judge Ishida’s article (in Japanese).

 

Judge Takaaki Miura (from late June 2005)

Judge Miura from the Yamagata District/Family Court was based at the University of Melbourne. Judge Miura was interested in civil cases and, especially, juvenile delinquency cases.

 

Mr Mitsu Ohara (from July 2005)

Mr Mitsu Ohara was an officer in the Japanese National Police Agency who spent a year at ANU researching Australian approaches to restorative justice.

Judge Daijiro Yasuda (from late June 2004)

Judge Yasuda completed his LLB from Waseda University in 1995, served in the Tokyo District Court from 1997-9 and in the Wakayama District Court until 2002. He heard civil and criminal cases, and family and juvenile delinquency cases, at the Ashikaga Branch of the Utsunomiya District Court. He had particular interests in criminal procedure and family law.

Judge Masaki Takasugi (from mid-July 2004)
Judge Takasugi completed his LLB from the University of Tokyo in 1998, passed the National Bar Examination the following year, and has dealt with civil and criminal matters in the Chiba District Court since 2001. He had particular interests in criminal justice.

 

Mr Phil Jamieson (May 2004)

Phil was at Nagashima, Ohno & Tsunematsu as a foreign lawyer for 3 years before moving to New City Corporation as a Vice-President. New City Corporation is a real estate investment, fund management, development, services and technology firm based in Japan with offices in the US, Seoul and soon Shanghai. Prior to moving to Japan in 2001, Phil worked as a general commercial defence lawyer in Sydney, primarily for insurer clients advising on indemnity issues and professional liability. He visited Sydney and Canberra during the week of 5 April 2004 as an ANJeL Professional Visitor. During his ANJeL Visitorship, he participated in seminars discussing Japan's evolving legal services markets, and worked on revamping the former Japanese Law Links website, which was at the time a joint project between Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and ANJeL. Mr Jamieson’s initiatives in that project led in due course to ANJeL’s successful involvement in the AsianLII project.

 

Judge Takashi Nakajima (July 2003 - August 2004)

Judge Nakajima of the Osaka District Court (LL.B, Kyoto University, and visiting scholar at the University of Melbourne, July 2003 - August 2004) visited Sydney and Canberra in mid-May 2004, speaking to Japanese Law students. He pursued his main research interests in civil case management, and administrative law (especially the tribunal system and refugee law). He was also interested in the impact of the jury system on the principles of evidence, because laypersons will be involved with criminal procedure in Japan.

 

Judge Keisuke Hosoda (June 2003)

Judge Hosoda is judge of the Tokyo District Court, 8th Criminal Division. From 1997-2000, Judge Hosoda served as Director of the Judicial Systems Research Office in the Supreme Court of Japan. He visited Australia from 16-30 June to examine how Australia ensures the fairness of jury trials against media publicity. He also conducted research into audio and video recording of police interrogations. Judge Hosoda has a LLB from Tokyo University and a LLM from New York University.
Judge Hosoda published a three-part article following his Visitorship in the legal periodical Hanrei Taimuzu entitled "O-sutoraria ni okeru keiji baishin kohan to hodo no kankei o chushin to suru tetsutsuki no kosei to kohyo no kankei ni tsuite" [Procedural Fairness and Media Publicity in Australia - Criminal Jury Trials and the Media]. Click here for the text of Part I, Part II and Part III of Judge Hosoda’s article (in Japanese).

 

Judge Ishida visiting courts in Canberra (February 2006):

 

At the High Court (from left): Mr Hitoshi Nasu, Justice Michael Kirby and Judge Kayoko Ishida.		At the ACT Supreme Court (from left): Master Harper, Justice Malcolm Gray, Judge Kayoko Ishida, Justice Ken Crispin, Chief Justice Terry Higgins.

 

Last updated: 07 March 2013