Mr. Ryuichi Shitara is the Chief Judge of the Tokyo Intellectual Property High Court since 2014. He initially joined the Tokyo District Court, Intellectual Property Division in 1979. After several stages with other courts, e.g. the Akita District/Family Court, Odate Branch in 1983, the Osaka District Court in 1990 and the Urawa District/Family Court in 1997, he returned to the IP Division of the Tokyo District Court in 1986 and 1993 and joined the Tokyo High Court, IP Division, in 2001. He became Chief Judge of the Niigata District Court in 2009 before joining the Tokyo High Court again in 2011 as Presiding Judge with the Civil Division and being appointed Presiding Judge with the IP High Court in 2013.