City-Yuwa Partners is noted for its expertise in a wide range of practice areas, including banking and finance, M&A, as well as dispute resolution and employment. With many of the lawyers at City-Yuwa having additional professional qualifications and expertise, such as being patent lawyers and certified public accountants, the firm is highly capable in solving any legal issues. Tomohiro Tanamura and Nobuyuki Sakuraba are key contacts. The firm welcomed Takashi Soga as a partner from Sogo Law Office in January 2023.
Client feedback
“City-Yuwa Partners has been serving banks and ship owners of the Japanese shipping industry for a long time. They have an experienced team to advise clients on various financing structures and provide commercially sound and practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“City-Yuwa Partners has demonstrated their effectiveness and advanced legal services through their appropriateness and flexibility. In addition to providing full support for our local corporate financing needs, the firm has also exhibited an international perspective and ample experience in cross-border transactions, providing exceptional services based on their highly skilled staff. Their communication skills are also top-notch, allowing for efficient and convenient communication with all parties involved, including our bank's customers, while providing detailed legal services. We appreciate the firm's ability to communicate directly in both Japanese and English, enabling us to receive professional legal support and services in the corporate financing field.” – Banking and finance
“The firm is reliable, efficient and fast.” – Banking and finance
“They provide timely and appropriate consulting in accordance with Japanese law.” – Labour and employment
“The firm is known for its attention to detail, meticulousness, innovation and responsiveness.” – Real estate
Akira Nagasaki
“He gives good advice politely.”
Masamichi Sakamoto
“Mr. Sakamoto's involvement is mainly related to our bank’s financing transactions, from which we have been significantly impressed by him for the following reasons. He provides appropriate decision-making on the direction of legal services for our bank with accurate legal knowledge and insight. With Mr. Sakamoto’s extensive legal support experience, he is able to effectively help clients with innovative, advanced and flexible legal support. Even with the difficulties of converging existing structures and contractual clauses to be in line with our bank’s requirements as well as the transactions’ requirements, he has been able to transfer them into the loan and/or financial documents. Not only supporting his clients, he has extensively contributed to his organisation through excellent leadership and teamwork by effectively coordinating and collaborating internally among his office by providing gentle and effective guidance directly to associate lawyers in the firm. Mr. Sakamoto has a wide network of connections in both Japan and overseas which he has been able to introduce through collaboration with offices and/or lawyers appropriately in accordance with the situation on a case-by-case basis. He has a rigorous and quite punctual time-management ability to provide prompt response to meet our bank’s as well as our clients’ requirements even in a limited timeline, and completes the tasks in time for the required schedule before the financial closing regardless of any obstacles and problems.
“He is reliable, efficient and fast.”
“Highly experienced and innovative.”
Reiko Yoshida
“One of their partners, Reiko Yoshida, is extremely experienced and reputable in the Japanese ship finance market. She is one of the few in the market who is able to understand the needs of the Japanese banks and ship owners with her broad industry knowledge, as well as mastering the drafting of English-law governed loan agreements and relevant security documents with her legal expertise. She is patient, responsive and attentive to clients' concerns.”
Work highlights
Represented Contrack Watts in a dispute against another joint venture (JV) partner in relation to cash contribution. The main issue in this case revolves around the interpretation of the construction JV agreement. While it is common to establish a construction JV for large projects in Japan, there are limited cases specifically addressing the interpretation of JV agreements. Consequently, this case holds significant importance as it could set a precedent in this area.
Represented FTI Consulting in a dispute involving an alleged fraud amounting to ¥20 billion ($136 million). The dispute centred around the investment made by J Trust Asia in Global Lease PCL, a subsidiary of Showa Holdings.
Key clients
KT Japan, Tokyo Electric Power
Work highlights
Advised a Cayman Limited Partnership to accept investment from a Japanese insurance company and to make necessary filings with the Japanese Financial Services Agency under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan.
