PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Hidetoshi Masunaga, Attorney at law
Hideaki Kubori, Attorney at law

The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation

*The speech and Q & A will precede lunch, which will be served from approximately 12:30.

"One Person One Vote and the Upper House Election Nullification Case"

What will happen if the July Upper House election result is nullified? But… wait … why?

In August, renowned attorney Hidetoshi Masunaga and fellow attorneys filed lawsuits at 14 high courts, including the Tokyo High Court, asking for nullification of this year's July Upper House election.

The Reason? Vote value disparity. In the early 1980s, as many as five times the votes were needed to elect a representative from an urban district compared with those needed for a rural district. The Supreme Court has ruled on several occasions that the imbalance violated the constitutional principle of "one person, one vote" and mandated adjustment. Yet the disparity is still there.

Masunaga and his group started a "one person, one vote" movement in July 2009. Soon after the Lower House election in August 2009, his group asked to nullify the election result at nine high courts based on vote value disparity. So far, seven have ruled that the current apportionment system is unconstitutional.

Their case on the Upper House election result will begin in the Tokyo High Court on Monday, Sep. 27. Just hours prior, Masunaga and his group will come to the FCCJ to talk about the case and the next step.

Masunaga, born in Kagoshima city in 1942, is an attorney at law in Japan, New York State and Washington D. C. One of his more famous cases was representing blue LED inventor Dr. Shuji Nakamura against his employer, Nichia Kagaku Kogyo, in 2005. Hidetoshi Kubori graduated from the faculty of law of Tokyo University and is the founder of Hibiya Park Law Office. He served as the Japan Federations of Bar Associations Vice President in 2001.

*Please note that, effective immediately, PAC event menus are limited to one item on a trial basis.

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Herb Marinated Steamed Salmon with Ginger Carrots, Peas, Sautéed Potatoes & Herb Butter, Seasonal Salad

Hidetoshi Masunaga, Attorney at law

Hideaki Kubori, Attorney at law with "One Person, One Vote" T shirt