Shigeru Ariizumi joins Mori Hamada

Shigeru Ariizumi joined Mori Hamada as of January 1⁠, 2026 in the role of special counsel, following his retirement from the Financial Services Agency in July 2025.

After entering the Ministry of Finance in 1988, Mr. Ariizumi held prominent positions at the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Services Agency, the Japan Fair Trade Commission, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)⁠, and also served as a Chair within the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and a Vice-Chairman within the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). He retired from public service in July 2025, having last served as Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Financial Services Agency.

By welcoming Mr⁠. Ariizumi, whose deep expertise is backed by extensive experience, Mori Hamada will further endeavor to provide our clients with even higher levels of legal services⁠.
 

I am honored to be joining Mori Hamada.

After graduating from university, I entered the Ministry of Finance (then known in Japanese as “Okurasho”) in 1988. I served again at the Ministry of Finance after its Japanese name changed to “Zaimusho” and have also served at the Financial Services Agency, the Japan Fair Trade Commission, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). I have spent much of my career at the Budget Bureau and the International Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, as well as at the Financial Services Agency, and retired from public service in July 2025, having last served as Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Financial Services Agency. During this time, I had the opportunity to work at the forefront of international negotiations, including serving as a Chair within the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and a Vice-Chair of the Board of International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

I hope to draw on my experience to contribute as much as possible, to the firm’s mission of “creating value for our clients,” “providing a place of growth for our professionals,” and “having a positive impact on our community⁠.”