The government has appointed Tokiyasu Fujita, a professor of administrative law at Tohoku University's graduate school, as a Supreme Court justice, officials said Friday.

Fujita, 62, will assume the post Sept. 30, replacing Masamichi Okuda, also a scholar. Okuda will retire Sept. 27.

A Tokyo native and graduate of the University of Tokyo, Fujita has worked at the law faculty of Tohoku University's graduate school since April 2000, having previously served as a teaching assistant at the University of Tokyo and as a professor within Tohoku University's undergraduate division.

Fujita is also on the government's Information Disclosure Review Board, which deliberates appeals filed against disclosure decisions.

In 1996, he was chosen to serve on the administrative reform council operating under then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. He later chaired a subpanel that mapped out a plan for the major reorganization of government offices and agencies in January 2001.

The government also informally decided Friday to appoint Tatsuo Kainaka, chief prosecutor at the Tokyo High Public Prosecutor's Office, as a Supreme Court justice.

Kainaka, 62, will replace Kazutomo Ijima, who will retire Oct. 6.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi approved the appointment, which was recommended by Supreme Court Chief Justice Shigeru Yamaguchi.

Kainaka became a public prosecutor in 1966 and assumed his current post in January.