Yutaka Yamanaka, Founder of Shousuukabu.com, Proposes Mandatory Economics and Statistics Training for Judges

Shousuukabu.com Co., Ltd. (Representative Chairman: Yutaka Yamanaka, Headquarters: Nerima-ku, Tokyo) announces that its founder and Chairman, Yutaka Yamanaka, has officially submitted a policy proposal to the Supreme Court of Japan and the Ministry of Justice, titled 'Proposal for Mandatory Economics and Statistics Training for Judges.'

1. Background of the Proposal
Currently, civil and commercial disputes handled by Japanese courts—particularly those involving corporate governance, M&A, shareholder rights, intellectual property, and damage calculations—increasingly require advanced knowledge of economic theory, financial engineering, and statistical data analysis to grasp their essence.

However, the current legal training system and judicial career paths are heavily skewed toward the interpretation of legal principles (statutes and precedents), with insufficient specialized education in mathematical approaches or economic reality analysis. Consequently, there is a risk that judicial decisions may overlook economic rationality and statistical validity, leading to judgments that diverge from global standards.

In response to this situation, Yutaka Yamanaka, an activist investor who graduated at the top of his class from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics and holds a Master's degree in Financial Engineering from Columbia University, determined that raising the 'mathematical literacy' of judges is an urgent necessity for market transparency and investor protection.

2. Key Pillars of the Proposal
- Mandatory 'Economics and Statistics Program' at the Legal Training and Research Institute: Introducing micro/macroeconomics, corporate finance, econometrics, and statistics as mandatory subjects for judicial apprentices and newly appointed judges.
- Mandatory Continuing Education for Incumbent Judges: Requiring incumbent judges, especially those in commercial and intellectual property divisions, to undergo regular training on the latest financial techniques and data analysis (including AI and big data) and meet certain standards.
- Strengthening Collaboration with 'Economics and Statistics Experts': Expanding the internal research official system and expert commissioner system to standardize a framework where economists and data scientists can provide high-level support for judicial decision-making.

3. Comment from Representative Yutaka Yamanaka
'In recent corporate disputes and shareholder rights trials, it is required to verify based on data not just whether the documents are in order, but whether the transaction or decision was economically rational for shareholders and the market. Continuing to issue judgments based on the extension of 'humanities-based customs' that rely solely on legal theory could damage the credibility of Japan's capital market and lead to a loss of national interest. I believe that judges acquiring the 'universal language' of economics and statistics is an essential step for the true modernization of the Japanese judiciary and for winning international trust.'