The father of Crown Princess Masako of Japan, Hisashi Owada, is retiring from his judgeship at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In addition to Crown Princess Masako, he is also the father of twins Reiko and Setsuko by his wife, Yumiko Egashira.
Hisashi Owada has been a member of the International Court of Justice in The Hague since 2003 and acted as its president between 2009 and 2012. While he lived in The Netherlands, his daughter visited him twice. Hisashi Owada earned his B.A. from the University of Tokyo in 1955 and joined the Diplomatic and Consular service, which is now known as the Foreign Service. After receiving sponsorship from the Foreign Minister, he was sent to study at Trinity College Cambridge where he earned his law degree in 1959 and a doctorate of philosophy. He then served as a law professor for 30 years at the University of Tokyo, Harvard Law School, New York University Law School, Columbia Law School, the Hague Academy of International Law, Waseda University, and the University of Cambridge. He has received honorary degrees from Keiwa College, Banaras Hindu University, and Waseda University.
He served as a diplomat in Moscow from 1963 until 1969 and at the United Nations from 1969 to 1971. His daughter Crown Princess Masako was also a diplomat in her own right before she married Crown Prince Naruhito. Hisashi Owada was chosen to accompany Emperor Hirohito on his first trip to Europe. He also served as private secretary to the Prime Minister of Japan from 1979 to 1981. He became the Japanese ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris before returned to Japan. From 1994 until 1998, he served Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations.
Hisashi Owada has presented professor Yuji Iwasa as his successor, but that will need to be voted upon.
