October 1, 2008 Firm News

Keiichi Tadaki joined Mori Hamada & Matsumoto

Keiichi Tadaki joined Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.

Message from Mr. Tadaki

On June 30, upon reaching mandatory retirement age, I retired as Prosecutor-General of the Public Prosecutors Office, ending over 39 years working in government and prosecution. When I reflect on my younger days working on cases as a public prosecutor, my time at the Ministry of Justice, made up of constant negotiations with the Diet, the Prime Minister’s Office and the bar associations, and the time I spent as Chief Prosecutor, Superintending Prosecutor, and Prosecutor-General, working intently with my subordinates on cases and implementing legal reform, I feel that that time was very fulfilling and also that it passed very quickly. I am very grateful to all those I have worked with until now.

In particular I was very fortunate to be able to participate in the first major legal reform to take place in 60 years. A very pressing issue for the judiciary is bridging the gap with the public and cultivating their support and understanding. At the same time I also believe that is absolutely essential for the public, who in today’s society are required to take initiative and be responsible for themselves, to have a judiciary that makes fair and transparent judgments swiftly. When I left government and prosecution I left my successors with a great many challenges to overcome, including the establishment of the Japanese jury system. However, as I work towards completing legal reforms in my new position as an attorney from this point on, I look forward to cooperating with like-minded people in all legal sectors who share the same goals.

After retiring from government service I had been continuing my career quietly in my own single-person law firm. However, just as I was feeling unable to overcome my discomfort at not having anyone to consult and discuss matters with on a daily basis, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto invited me to join their firm. I decided to accept their kind invitation as I was aware that Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is actively involved with the bar associations and that, in the field of legal reform, it has committed personnel to legal support centers and post-graduate law schools. I also knew that the firm proactively takes on the fostering of attorneys who plan to work at legal support centers and at law firms established by the government. In addition, I had heard that Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is working hard to enhance legal compliance in companies and organizations and realized that this was an ideal place for me to continue my career.

From this point on I hope to contribute in my own small way to creating a better society as a special counsel at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto and look forward to working with you.

Keiichi Tadaki, October 2008

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