James Wakatsuki at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Hawaii · State
- Judicial service
- Active
James Wakatsuki
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals, 1983-present
- Judge, Hawaii Supreme Court, 1984-1994
- James Wakatsuki (1929–1992) was a Hawaii legislator, circuit judge and Supreme Court associate justice
- James Hiroji “Hoji” Wakatsuki (August 17, 1929 – September 22, 1992) was a Japanese American politician, lawyer, and justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, serving from 1983 until his death in office
- In 1983, he was nominated to the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals and later confirmed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii in 1984
- Appointed Hawaii State Circuit Court judge in 1980
Education
- He attended Farrington High School, the University of Hawaiʻi, and later completed a bachelor’s degree in business at Bowling Green State University before earning his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison Law School in 1954.
Additional information
- legis, 1983-1983
- Governor George Ariyoshi appointed him to the circuit bench in 1980; he was appointed to the Hawaii Supreme Court in 1983 and confirmed in September that year.
- He rose to become Speaker of the House (1975–1980), earning the nickname “The Opihi” for his steadfast, unyielding approach to issues
- He entered the Territorial House in 1958 and the State House in 1959, later serving as House speaker from 1974 to 1980.
- He opened a law office in Kalihi in 1957 and was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 1958, serving until 1980.
- A 1974 circuit nomination was withdrawn when the expected vacancy did not occur.
- He opened a Honolulu law office in 1956 and held a position as a Territorial House committee law clerk in 1957.
- Densho describes his Honolulu upbringing, Farrington High School education, Army service in 1948–1949, business bachelor degree from Bowling Green University, and graduation from the University of Wisconsin law school in 1954.
- He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1949
- Date of birth: 1929-08-17
- After law school, Wakatsuki worked in Washington, D.C., and as a clerk in the Hawaii Territorial Legislature.
- His practice focused on real-estate and corporate matters.
- Wakatsuki was born in Kalihi, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, to Japanese immigrants.
- Wakatsuki was known for his community service, including leadership in the Kalihi YMCA and the Honolulu Junior Japanese Chamber of Commerce
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Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals current judicial profile ↗Cameras and Audio Equipment
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Cameras and Audio Equipment ↗Remote Court Hearings via Zoom
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Remote Court Hearings via Zoom ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗encyclopedia.densho.org
Biography source · HTML · Source checked October 5, 2026
View encyclopedia.densho.org ↗