is a former justice of the

Supreme Court of Japan The , located in Hayabusachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo, is the Supreme court, highest court in Japan. It has ultimate judicial authority to interpret the Constitution of Japan, Japanese constitution and decide questions of national law. It ...

. She was the second woman in history to serve in that role.Second Woman in Japan Supreme Court
" ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

''. December 18, 2001. She attended

International Christian University is a non-denominational private university located in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan, commonly known as ICU. With the efforts of Prince Takamatsu, General Douglas MacArthur, and BOJ President Hisato Ichimada, ICU was established in 1949 as the first ...

and became a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Health and Welfare after graduation. She was appointed as head of Japan's social insurance system in 1994, and as ambassador to the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

in 1998. In 2001, she was appointed to the Supreme Court. In September 2008, Yokoo resigned two years and seven months prior to the mandatory retirement age of 70. Ryuko Sakurai replaced Yokoo.Sakurai to be Supreme Court justice
" ''Japan Today''. September 7, 2008.

References

1941 births Living people Ambassadors of Japan to Ireland Japanese women diplomats Supreme Court of Japan justices Japanese women judges International Christian University alumni Japanese women ambassadors {{Japan-law-bio-stub