Nobuhisa Ishizuka

Nobuhisa Ishizuka is an American attorney, academic administrator, and legal scholar specializing in Japanese law, comparative law, and Asian security policy. He is the Executive Director of the Center for Japanese Legal Studies and a Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Japanese American Association of New York. Before joining academia, he was a Partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Ishizuka’s work focuses on U.S.–Japan legal exchange, and later appointed a Council Member at World Rowing.

Early life and education Ishizuka earned his B.A. from Columbia College, majoring in East Asian Studies and studying Japanese language, literature, and history.

Career Ishizuka joined Columbia Law School in 2018 as Executive Director of the Center for Japanese Legal Studies, becoming the third person to lead the center since its founding in 1980. In this role, he oversees research programs, academic partnerships, and international exchanges related to U.S.–Japan legal scholarship. He also teaches as a Lecturer in Law, focusing on comparative law, Asian security policy, and the Japanese constitution.

From 2000 to 2017, Ishizuka served as a Partner in Skadden’s Tokyo, Hong Kong, and New York offices, Doctrinal Conflict in Foreign Investment Regulation in India: U. Pa. J. Int’l L. (2022) Strengthening the U.S.–Japan Alliance (Co-Editor, 2020) Constitutional Reform in Japan,” Columbia Journal of Asian Law (2019)

Leadership in sports governance Ishizuka has been active in national and international rowing organizations:

World Rowing – Council Member (Appointed 2025); Strategic Projects Advisor (2024–2025) US Rowing's Chair and President, Board of Directors (2021–2024); Chair of the Governance

Awards and recognitions His honors include

FT Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Award (2014) India Business Law Journal Deal of the Year (2008)