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Judges, public prosecutors and attorneys

How to become a Judge

Decides the many kinds of cases brought before the courts, based on the Constitution and the law.

Workers in this job say university or a master's degree is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

You study at a law school for three or two years and graduate, pass the bar exam, complete legal training as a legal apprentice, and are then appointed by the Cabinet as an assistant judge. Some judges are appointed from among practising lawyers. Even without graduating from law school, you can sit the bar exam by passing the preliminary exam. To be appointed as a full judge you need ten or more years of experience as an assistant judge, public prosecutor, lawyer or similar. As a rule, newly appointed assistant judges cannot hand down judgments on their own and hear cases as members of a panel of judges. They can, however, handle on their own cases that do not involve a judgment, such as enforcement cases and provisional remedy cases. Judges need a broad outlook and the qualities and ability to judge matters correctly and fairly.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Judge?

You study at a law school for three or two years and graduate, pass the bar exam, complete legal training as a legal apprentice, and are then appointed by the Cabinet as an assistant judge. Some judges are appointed from among practising lawyers. Even without graduating from law school, you can sit the bar exam by passing the preliminary exam. To be appointed as a full judge you need ten or more years of experience as an assistant judge, public prosecutor, lawyer or similar. As a rule, newly appointed assistant judges cannot hand down judgments on their own and hear cases as members of a panel of judges. They can, however, handle on their own cases that do not involve a judgment, such as enforcement cases and provisional remedy cases. Judges need a broad outlook and the qualities and ability to judge matters correctly and fairly.

Do you need a degree to become a Judge?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 99% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Judge?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026