About

I was born in Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, located in the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan side of central Japan. After working as a book editor and later as a full-time homemaker, I was drawn to the legal profession by a desire to contribute to society in a meaningful way. I passed the national examination for Judicial Scriveners in 2004. A Judicial Scrivener (Shiho-shoshi) is a nationally licensed legal professional in Japan who handles real estate and company registrations, prepares legal documents, and provides certain types of legal representation. I was registered as a Judicial Scrivener in 2014, after spending several years living abroad, including in the Netherlands and Timor-Leste. In May 2021, I established Shimaya Legal Services in Higashi-Aratai, Tsukuba City, where I provide legal services with care and attention to each client’s individual circumstances. I am also a leukemia survivor. The name “Shimaya” comes from my family’s traditional house name; my family has long been engaged in rice farming.

Having worked as a public servant for thirty years, I decieded to become a Judicial Scrivener (a national license to handle with real estate and corporation registration processs and other legal procedures) to contribute to solving problems of each citizen in the society. I passed the national ceritication exam in 2024 and become a certified Judicial Scrivener in the same year. Since February 2025, I have joined Shimaya Legal Services.