Keiji Kato

Partner, Member of Daini Tokyo Bar Association

Since his admission to the bar in 2013, Keiji Kato has been involved in consumer damage remedies such as fraud, inheritance disputes, real estate disputes, support services for politicians, and support for sexual minorities. Recently, as frauds such as bank transfer scams have become a social problem, he has a great deal of experience in resolving consumer issues. He also regularly communicates with real estate agents and is familiar with real estate disputes and inheritance disputes.
He continues to support sexual minorities and serves as the secretary general of the Tokyo Litigation Group for same-sex marriage cases. In addition, he has recently become involved in risk hedging and trouble management support for politicians.

Education and Professional Background

2013:Admitted to the Japan Bar (Daini Tokyo Bar Association)
Joined a general law firm in Tokyo (Tama area)
2021:Transferred to a general law firm in Tokyo
October 2022:Joined Waseda Legal Commons, LPC as a partner

Practice Areas

He handles a wide range of civil, domestic affairs, and criminal cases, with a particular emphasis on the following areas:
◆Consumer Acts (remedies for consumer damage caused by fraud, investment damage, door-to-door sales, etc.)
◆Legal issues related to suicide
◆Support for sexual minorities
◆Legal affairs of local self-government
◆Public Offices Election Act
◆Political Funds Control Act
◆Diet members support
◆Real estate disputes
◆Inheritance disputes
◆Criminal defense for drug offenses

Membership and Official Positions

Parliamentary Policy Secretary qualification
Registered Political Funds Auditor, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Former Vice-Chairman of Consumer Affairs Committee, Three Tokyo Local Bar Associations
Secretary General of Tokyo Litigation Group for Freedom of Marriage for All (a.k.a. Same-Sex Marriage Litigation Group) (http://marriageforall.jp/)
Registered Support Expert for the Operation of the Guidelines for Debt Consolidation for Victims of Natural Disasters 
LGBT Support Lawyers Network 
Young Lawyers Association for Protecting Freedom of Tomorrow
Lawyers for Suicide Survivors (http://www.jishiizoku-law.org/)

Publications

Lecture on “Consumer Issues and Lawyers” at Kanto Gakuin University on May 12, 2014
LGBT Support Lawyers Network Publication Project, “Sexual Minority Q&A,” Kobundo, Japan, author and core member of the editorial team.
Same-sex Marriage Human Rights Relief Lawyers’ Association, “Same-sex Marriage: The Right to Marry Freely for Everyone”, Akashi Shoten, in charge of writing and editing.
Asahi Shimbun Publishing, “AERA,” May 16, 2016 issue, comments on Article 24 of the Constitution.
Keiji Kato, “On the Legal Theory of Non-Discrimination Concerning LGBT,” Houhou no Hiroba, July 2016
Keiji Kato and Shigenori Nakagawa, “LGBT and the Constitution,” BEYOND, October 2016
Sunday Mainichi, October 1, 2017 Commentary published in Sunday Mainichi, October 1, 2017
November 25, 2017 Report on the Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for AIDS Research, “Life and Legal Challenges of HIV-Positive People”
December 11, 2017 Tokyo San Bengoshikai Tama Branch Training
November 1, 2018 Lecture on “Considering Diverse Families” at Aichi Gakuin University
Keiji Kato, “LGBT Rights and Equality: Disadvantages and Countermeasures in the Workplace,” in “Diverse Sexuality Recognition in the Workplace and Society,” in Science of Labor, Vol. 71, No. 12.
January 28, 2020: “What to do when you are cheated? Lecture
Tokyo Shimbun, February 25, 2020 morning edition. Commented on the situation of accommodating foreign trans women.
Sekiguchi, Takeuchi, and Kaneko (eds.), “What to Do in Such Cases! 150 Questions and 150 Answers on Election Campaigning” (in Japanese), written in part.
Necessity of Legal Regulations Prohibiting Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities,” Monthly Human Rights Now, No. 397, April 2021.
Tokyo Shimbun, March 9, 2021 morning edition. Commentary in an editorial in the March 9, 2021 morning edition of the Tokyo Shimbun.

Message

I am sometimes asked the question, “What kind of lawyer is a good lawyer?” It goes without saying that “knowledge” is important, but I do not think that a lawyer should specialize only in legal knowledge. I want to be an “easy to talk to” lawyer who can work side by side with my clients.

Languages

Japanese