Masanobu Kato

After serving as a professor of Nagoya University's Graduate School of Law, a visiting fellow at Harvard University and the University of London, and a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii, Columbia University and Beijing University, Mr. Kato is currently Of Counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and professor of law at Sophia University School of Law. In addition to his academic carrier, Mr. Kato contributed significantly to various governmental bodies, including the Legislative Council Civil Law Subcommittee of the Ministry of Justice and the National Bar Examination Committee. He has also been engaged in framing significant conventions in the international business world, including the UNIDROIT Convention on International Financial Leasing and UNIDROIT Convention on International Factoring.

Mr. Kato has authored a series of five civil code textbooks titled “Contemporary Civil Code System of Japan," and is planning to release the sixth and final volume, titled “Family Law." He is considered to be one of the leading civil code scholars and his works in the fields of Product Liability, Torts, Unjust Enrichment and Financial Leasing Contracts are regarded to be the definitive treatises in Japan. In addition, he has authored books and articles in the fields of commercial law, civil procedure, international transactions, intellectual property, labor, administration, tax, environmental, American and Chinese law. For a more detailed profile of Mr. Kato, please refer to page 1007 and below of the professor commemoration (Nagoya University Journal of law and politics No.227).

Currently, Mr. Kato is undergoing revisions of the Property ＆ Contract Law and leading the Civil Code Amendment Study Group. The Study Group has organized an international symposium entitled "Amendment of Civil Code - the comparative research among Japan, Europe and Asia" in March 2008. In addition, the Study Group also issued the "Proposed Amendment to the Civil Code of Japan: Tentative Proposal (October 13, 2008)" which was presented at the Japan Association of Private Law Symposium in fall of 2008. Furthermore, most recent proposal titled "Proposed Amendment to the Civil Code of Japan: Tentative Proposal (January 1, 2009)" has been presented in Hanrei Times (No.1281).

・Chair, "Law School Standards Accreditation Committee", Japan University Accreditation Association (October 2009-March 2011)
・Vice Chair, "Law School Certified Accreditation Committee", Japan University Accreditation Association (April 2009-present)
・Professor, Sophia University Law School (April 2007-present)
・Member, “Research Committee on Civil Code Amendment (October 2006-March 2009)
・Member, "Assistance Committee for Improvement on Laws and Regulations in Uzbekistan", Japan International Cooperation Agency (September 2006-March 2007)
・Cooperative Member, Science Council of Japan (August 2006-present)
・Vice Chair, "Project Appraisal Surveillance Committee", Chubu Regional Development Bureau, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (April 2006-present)
・Collaborative Researcher, International Research Center for Japanese Studies (April 2006-March 2009)
・Chair, "Law School Improvement Committee", Shinshu University (June 2006-present)
・Chair, "Bidding Surveillance Committee", the Fifth Harbor and Port Bureau, the Ministry of Transport; Deputy Chair, "Bidding Surveillance Committee", Chubu Regional Development Bureau, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (April 1999-March 2005)
・Chair, "Committee on Amendment of Railway Business Act", the Ministry of Transport (currently, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) (February 1999-December 2000)
・Chair, "Participative Committee of Labor Disputes", Aichi Labor Bureau, the Ministry of Labor (currently the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare) (October 1998-March 2005)
・Testimony, Special Council on "Debt Disposal of Japanese National Railways Settlement Corporation and National Forestry Services Reform Grant", Upper House (October 1998)
・Testimony, Special Council on "Debt Disposal of Japanese National Railways Settlement Corporation and National Forestry Services Reform Grant", Lower House (September 1998)
・Member, "Legislative Council Civil Law Subcommittee", the Ministry of Justice (March 1998-March 2000)
・Visiting Fellow, University of London (May 1996-March 1997)
・Member, "Labor Relations Law Research Council", the Ministry of Labor (currently the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare) (April 1996-December 1998)
・National Bar Examiner (January 1993-December 1995)
・Member, "Disciplinary Committee", Aichi Bar Association (June 1991-March 2007)
・Visiting Professor, Beijing University (February 1991-May 1991)
・Civil Arbitrator, the Nagoya District Court and the Nagoya Summary Court (April 1989-March 2007)
・Deputy Delegate of the Japanese Government & Member of the Drafting Committee, Diplomatic Conference on Adoption of "UNIDROIT Convention on International Financial Leasing" and "UNIDROIT Convention on International Factoring" (May 1988)
・Family Conciliator, Nagoya Domestic Court (April 1988-March 2004)
・Visiting Professor, Columbia University School of Law (September 1986-August 1987)
・Visiting Professor, University of Hawaii (May 1985-July 1985)
・Professor, Nagoya University Faculty of Law (currently Nagoya University. Graduate School of Law) (July 1982-March 2007)
・Visiting Fellow, Columbia University School of Law (September 1981-July 1982)
・Visiting Fellow, Harvard University Yenching Institute (September 1980-August 1981)
・Member, "Research Committee on Tort Damage", Office of Cabinet Meeting on Public Enterprise (November 1979-March 1980)
・Expert in environmental issues, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (January 1976-December 1978)
・Associate Professor, Nagoya University, Faculty of Law (currently Nagoya University, Graduate School of Law) (April 1973-June 1982)
・Research Fellow, the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law (June 1969-March 1973)
・Dai-ni Tokyo Bar Association

・Japanese (first language)
・English