Tokyo–The Japanese government on Friday appointed Yasumasa Nagamine, the current ambassador to Britain, as a next Supreme Court justice.

The 66-year-old will replace Justice Keiichi Hayashi, who is set to retire on Feb. 7. Nagamine’s official starting date on the top court has yet to be determined.

Nagamine has been ambassador to Britain since October 2019 after stints as head of the Foreign Ministry’s International Legal Affairs Bureau, senior deputy foreign minister in charge of economic affairs and ambassador to South Korea.