A legal term for a person responsible for supervising and protecting a minor, similar to a guardian or custodian in family law contexts.
A minor needs a legal guardian.
The court appointed him as the child's custodian.
後見人 is a legal guardian for an adult ward or a minor in a more formal, court-appointed sense, whereas 監護者 focuses on the day-to-day care and supervision of a minor.
Compound of 監 (supervise) + 護 (protect) + 者 (person). The term is a modern legal coinage, likely influenced by Western legal concepts of guardianship.