Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised SMBC, MUFG Bank and Mizuho Bank, the mandated lead arrangers of senior facility, on KKR’s acquisition of the majority shares in Seiyu.
Advised Apollo Global Management on Altemira Corporation’s acquisition of the aluminium can and aluminium rolling business from Mitsubishi Materials. This is a roll-up transaction sponsored by Apollo and the firm led the negotiations with the existing senior lenders.
Key clients
Bain Capital, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Acted as the lead legal counsel to Mizuho Securities (MHSC) in respect to the financing for JTOWER based on the economic value and cash flow realised from telecommunications towers acquired from DOCOMO through a whole-business securitization scheme arranged by MHSC. The project promotes infra-sharing and accelerates the early development of 5G, which is a high priority for the Japanese government.
Advised a consortium consisting of METAWATER, Veolia Jenets KK, ORIX Corporation, Nihon Suido Consultants, Hitachi, Tokyu Construction and local partners on the Miyagi water and wastewater concession project. This project is the first case of the ‘concession’ type PPP for water supply which was realised by the amendment of the Water Supply Act of Japan in 2018. This project is also the first case of a PPP project for the combination of water supply, industrial waterworks, and sewerage service in Japan.
Key clients
Mizuho Financial Group.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised SBI Shinsei Bank on a leveraged buyout financing for the acquisition of Shinoken Group. This transaction involves the acquisition of a listed corporation with a relatively large market cap, and the total acquisition consideration was more than ¥53 billion ($361 million).
Advised Shioi Kosan on the acquisition financing for the management buyout of Plenus.
Advised UBS on the acquisition financing for the acquisition of Kito Corporation through tender offer by Crosby, a portfolio company of KKR. This matter is one of the rare cases where non-Japanese lenders provided financing for the privatisation of a Japanese public company through a tender offer and subsequent squeeze-out process conducted under Japanese law.
Key clients
EQT Partners, Resona Bank.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Advised Rakuten and KKR on the LBO financing for the acquisition of Seiyu from Walmart.
Advising ENEOS Holdings on the going-private transaction of its listed subsidiary, Nippo Corporation.
ProvidedAdvantage Partners and Tokyo Century Corporation with legal advice on the financing for the acquisition of shares in Energywith, which in turn was acquiring the energy storage devices and systems business of Showa Denko Materials.
Key clients
Mizuho Bank, Nomura Babcock & Brown
TMI Associates, one of the five largest law firms in Japan, has broad expertise across corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, intellectual property and regulatory matters. In particular, the firm has good expertise in the IP arena as it houses a strong bench of practitioners skilled in handling the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm also has a proven track record advising clients in the banking, consumer goods and services, manufacturing, and media and entertainment sectors. TMI Associates’ connections to several major global firms and joint ventures ensures it is able to offer seamless and outstanding legal services both foreign and domestic. Intellectual property practitioner Mitsuko Miyagawa, and corporate and M&A specialists Masakazu Iwakura and Tatsuhiro Takahara, are key figures. M&A partner Kazumitsu Goto departed to Withers in September 2022.
Client feedback
“We have highly valued the firm’s past work, especially its expertise, client-oriented work, communication and business awareness.” – Banking and finance
“TMI (TMI Associates) are very expeditious in their work and their turnaround time is very good. They also have deep knowledge of working with international hotel firms franchise agreements as well as knowledge of drafting a ‘win-win’ management agreement.” – Real estate
Hideki Kurauchi
“Mr. Hideki is always quick and reasonable, plus he knows our business very well, as well as the banking and real estate industries. His client-oriented work is highly appreciated.”
“Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kurauchi worked in the private sector in sales and is very knowledgeable on business and the timeliness that agreements etc need to be provided to our clients. He also understands business very well and works to create a ‘win-win’ arrangement for all parties.”
Work highlights
Advised Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation on granting a non-recourse loan to a special purpose vehicle with real estate in Japan being the underlying assets.
Advised Mizuho Bank on the debt financing of the LBO loans provided for the acquisition of the Japan business of Godiva, a manufacturer and distributor of chocolate, which was conducted in 2019 by MBK Partners.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised Japan International Cooperation Agency on its overseas issuance of guaranteed bonds.
Advised JERA on its issuance of $300 million denominated senior notes. This is the JERA’s first US dollar-denominated bonds. The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including procurement of fuel ammonia, which has less environmental impact when burned, and development of renewable energy.
Advised bio-tech company TMS on its IPO and listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This was one of few global IPOs by Japanese companies in 2022.
Key clients
Daiwa Capital Markets Europe, ImageONE, Nomura, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised Japan Post Holdings and Ministry of Finance, Japan on its global offering of shares. This deal is the fifth largest secondary offering of shares of a Japanese issuer in Japan.
Advised SBI Sumishin Net Bank and the selling shareholders on its ¥57 billion ($389 million) IPO of shares. The Issuer is a leading digital bank in Japan and a joint venture company owned by SBI Holdings and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. This is the first deal in which a purely digital bank in Japan has received approval to list its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Key clients
Enex Infrastructure Investment Corporation, Linkers Corporation, Nippon Prologis REIT.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised SMBC Nikko Securities and Nomura Securities on the global initial public offering of common stock of Socionext.
Advised SMBC Nikko Securities on the global initial public offering of common stock of Daiei Kankyo. This is an initial public offering of shares of Daiei Kankyo in domestic and international markets, the second largest IPO in Japan in 2022.
Advised Skymark Airlines, Integral Partners and UDS Airlines Investment on the global initial public offering of common stock of Skymark Airlines. This IPO of Skymark was one of the largest IPO deals in Japan in 2022. The issuer is the third largest civil airline company in Japan and listed its shares for the first time after the delisting of its shares in 2014 due to the civil rehabilitation procedure.
Key clients
BofA Securities, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Nomura Securities, Norinchukin Bank.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Advised Nomura Securities, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities and SMBC Nikko Securities on the follow-on offering by West Japan Railway Company.
Advised PHC Holdings Corporation and KKR on PHCHD’s global IPO and listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Key clients
BofA Securities Japan Securities Company, Japan Finance Corporation, Mizuho Securities, Morgan Stanley Securities,Net Protections Holdings, Nippon Steel Corporation, Orient Corporation
TMI Associates, one of the five largest law firms in Japan, has broad expertise across corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, intellectual property and regulatory matters. In particular, the firm has good expertise in the IP arena as it houses a strong bench of practitioners skilled in handling the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm also has a proven track record advising clients in the banking, consumer goods and services, manufacturing, and media and entertainment sectors. TMI Associates’ connections to several major global firms and joint ventures ensures it is able to offer seamless and outstanding legal services both foreign and domestic. Intellectual property practitioner Mitsuko Miyagawa, and corporate and M&A specialists Masakazu Iwakura and Tatsuhiro Takahara, are key figures. M&A partner Kazumitsu Goto departed to Withers in September 2022.
Client feedback
“We have highly valued the firm’s past work, especially its expertise, client-oriented work, communication and business awareness.” – Banking and finance
“TMI (TMI Associates) are very expeditious in their work and their turnaround time is very good. They also have deep knowledge of working with international hotel firms franchise agreements as well as knowledge of drafting a ‘win-win’ management agreement.” – Real estate
Hideki Kurauchi
“Mr. Hideki is always quick and reasonable, plus he knows our business very well, as well as the banking and real estate industries. His client-oriented work is highly appreciated.”
“Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kurauchi worked in the private sector in sales and is very knowledgeable on business and the timeliness that agreements etc need to be provided to our clients. He also understands business very well and works to create a ‘win-win’ arrangement for all parties.”
Work highlights
Advised SMBC Nikko Securities on its public offering of the samurai bonds of Malayan Banking.
Advised Monex Finance and Monex Group on the renewal of euro medium-term note programme, and offering of notes in the Japanese market.
Key clients
Tokai Tokyo Securities.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised medical device technology company Abiomed on Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) proceedings pertaining to its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson. The firm responded to the JFTC’s questions on the medical products supplied by Abiomed in the Japanese market and managed to obtain early clearance within phase 1.
Acted as legal counsel to Hanwha Group, including Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems, Hanwha Convergence, Hanwha Impact Partners and Hanwha Energy Corporation Singapore, for a voluntary notification with the JFTC in relation to its acquisition of 49.3% common stocks of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, a Korean shipbuilding company.
Key clients
Bunka Shutter, Nissin Sugar, Suzuken, Tomoku.
Miura & Partners offers a one-stop legal solution for clients. Founded in 2019, the firm practises in sectors including corporate and M&A, finance, competition law and intellectual property. With the philosophy of ‘providing comprehensive legal advice and assisting clients in achieving their business goals’, the firm retains its presence both domestically and internationally. Masayuki Atsumi, Tomotake Matsuda, and Kazuo Itazaki are the key figures. The corporate team welcomed Masahiro Terada as a partner from City-Yuwa Partners in January 2023.
Client feedback
"They aggregate and coordinate a number of law firms in conducting due diligence in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously." – Corporate and M&A
"They provided the latest findings, quickly. Documentation is also very fast." – Corporate and M&A
"They respond quickly and try to understand what we are asking." – Corporate and M&A
"Speciality in each corporate legal matter and affordability." – Corporate and M&A
"Miura & Partners devoted themselves to overcoming very difficult negotiations with the counterparty to win our desirable conditions. As a result, we executed the contract with terms and conditions with which we are satisfied." – Corporate and M&A
"The firm has experienced lawyers in various fields. They can assign proper lawyers to a project." – Corporate and M&A
"In our investment project, we received valuable advice not only from a legal perspective, but also from tax, finance and business perspectives." – Corporate and M&A
"Talented staff. Vast network to tie in law firms outside of Japan and to coordinate efforts with them." – Corporate and M&A
"Providing service in a timely manner with reasonable expense." – Corporate and M&A
"Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice." – Corporate and M&A
“Very fast and very capable. Private equity is a very fast-paced and results-driven environment. We spent months getting nowhere with a different law firm, but they handled our requests to satisfactory results, even when doing so was very challenging due to multi-party contract negotiation.” – Private equity
Yoshie Midorikawa
“Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice. Appropriate assignment of highly specialised colleagues who provided practical and commercial solutions alongside nuanced legal understanding. Timely responses with succinct and accessible explanations of the relevant law and potential options, enabling us to make informed decisions.”
Kentaro Minegishi
“He makes reasonable proposals based on the details of the consultation.”
Ryota Miura
“Very quick and reliable response, given the company's situation."
Haruka Murata
“Flexible, responsive and responsible.”
“She responds quickly and tries to understand what our question is.”
“Speedy and abundant experience in M&A practice.”
“She has considerable experience of cross-border M&A. The work I requested was on a transaction where we purchased 25% of shares of a company in Netherlands. We had to set up a legal team including a firm in Netherlands. She led the arrangement and negotiated with them about the scope of their work and a fee. Also, she led the project and negotiated with the seller. Thanks to her hard work, we were successful in making a stock purchase agreement in time. During the negotiations, we were able to communicate with only her because she represented the legal team.”
“Energetic, responsive and knowledgeable.”
“Very attentive, quick to respond, and innovative in problem-solving.”
Haruka Osawa
“Offers sound advice in any case.”
Work highlights
Acted as antitrust counsel for Recruit Holdings, one of the biggest domestic digital platforms in Japan, on antitrust compliance issues.
Represented Toyota Motor Corporation on antitrust law compliance matters arising from the establishment of a joint venture.
Atsumi & Sakai is a leading full-service law firm offering a range of counsel services pertaining to most financial and corporate law matters. The firm has an excellent reputation for assisting startups and financial institutions on fintech-related matters. It offers additional strength in the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors. The firm is also known for its expertise in securitization, covered bonds and similar structured finance transactions. Go Fujimoto and Yusuke Miura are key contacts.
Client feedback
“Excellent advice on complex questions and a very sound and reliable team who were available at all hours and enjoyed tremendous trust and comfort with the client.” – Competition/antitrust
“They possess a high level of specialised knowledge and experience and provide accurate feedback to the client.” – Competition/antitrust
“The lawyers at A&S (Atsumi & Sakai) are very sophisticated in the legal assistance they provide. They act as an integrated team that operates very efficiently and effectively.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm possesses good communication skills with clients.” – Competition/antitrust
“The law firm has great knowledge and is very helpful and responsive.” – Corporate and M&A
“The law firm is highly responsive and demonstrates flexibility in meeting clients' needs, including outsourcing work when necessary. They provide clear and practical advice, showcasing a strong understanding of business matters.” – Labour and employment
Saori Hanada
“Saori is very much committed to providing the legal assistance that the client needs. She has deep knowledge of all aspects of Japanese competition law and provides top-rated advice. She understands the business well and will always try to find a creative solution whatever the challenge the client faces.”
“Excellent knowledge of the law, immense confidence placed in her by the client and always available and responsive.”
Etsuko Kameoka
“Etsuko excels in client communication and possesses extensive knowledge on EU competition law.”
Emi Uchida
“Emi is highly responsive and provides practical advice based on her extensive experience. She is a skilled negotiator, adept at successfully closing and resolving difficult labour disputes in a favourable manner.”
Takafumi Uematsu
“This lawyer possesses great knowledge and is highly helpful and responsive.”
Tatsuo Yamashima
“This lawyer possesses specialised knowledge and experience.”
Work highlights
Advised Mitsubishi Research Institute and Nagoya City on a PFI project to design, build and operate meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE) in Nagoya. The objective of this project is to construct an athlete village for utilisation during the 2026 Asian Games, as well as to establish a ‘new town’ for future use. The project has garnered considerable attention due to its expansive nature, encompassing the development of a residential area, university campus, kindergarten, sports facilities, shopping mall, and hospital.
Key clients
Mitsubishi HC Capital, Photovolt Development Partners.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) on a comprehensive capital and business alliance with SBI Holdings, which includes SMFG together with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, a leading Japanese bank, and leading Japanese credit card company Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company and SBI, forming a strong alliance in retail digital financial service areas, and SMFG subscribing for newly issued common shares of SBI, a publicly listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Key clients
Aso Corporation, Chukyo Bank, Daibiru Corporation.
Corporate and M&A boutique Hibiya-Nakata focuses on Japanese outbound and inbound M&A. It is regularly retained by major banks and leading corporations in Japan for high-profile outbound deals. In spite of being a smaller-sized firm, Hibiya-Nakata prides itself on the quality of work provided, especially in cross-border M&A work. Key figures include Nobuo Nakata and Tatsuya Soeda.
Client feedback
Nobuo Nakata
“The lawyer has a positive and well-regarded reputation.”
Work highlights
Advised Tohbu Network on its acquisition of Tohoku Sanko.
Advised CareerIndex on its acquisition of majority shares in ContractS.
Advised Asahi Kasei Medical on its acquisition of US-based biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organisation Bionova Scientific.
Key clients
Appirits, Meiko Electronics, WAQ, Yukon Capital Partners.
Miura & Partners offers a one-stop legal solution for clients. Founded in 2019, the firm practises in sectors including corporate and M&A, finance, competition law and intellectual property. With the philosophy of ‘providing comprehensive legal advice and assisting clients in achieving their business goals’, the firm retains its presence both domestically and internationally. Masayuki Atsumi, Tomotake Matsuda, and Kazuo Itazaki are the key figures. The corporate team welcomed Masahiro Terada as a partner from City-Yuwa Partners in January 2023.
Client feedback
"They aggregate and coordinate a number of law firms in conducting due diligence in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously." – Corporate and M&A
"They provided the latest findings, quickly. Documentation is also very fast." – Corporate and M&A
"They respond quickly and try to understand what we are asking." – Corporate and M&A
"Speciality in each corporate legal matter and affordability." – Corporate and M&A
"Miura & Partners devoted themselves to overcoming very difficult negotiations with the counterparty to win our desirable conditions. As a result, we executed the contract with terms and conditions with which we are satisfied." – Corporate and M&A
"The firm has experienced lawyers in various fields. They can assign proper lawyers to a project." – Corporate and M&A
"In our investment project, we received valuable advice not only from a legal perspective, but also from tax, finance and business perspectives." – Corporate and M&A
"Talented staff. Vast network to tie in law firms outside of Japan and to coordinate efforts with them." – Corporate and M&A
"Providing service in a timely manner with reasonable expense." – Corporate and M&A
"Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice." – Corporate and M&A
“Very fast and very capable. Private equity is a very fast-paced and results-driven environment. We spent months getting nowhere with a different law firm, but they handled our requests to satisfactory results, even when doing so was very challenging due to multi-party contract negotiation.” – Private equity
Yoshie Midorikawa
“Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice. Appropriate assignment of highly specialised colleagues who provided practical and commercial solutions alongside nuanced legal understanding. Timely responses with succinct and accessible explanations of the relevant law and potential options, enabling us to make informed decisions.”
Kentaro Minegishi
“He makes reasonable proposals based on the details of the consultation.”
Ryota Miura
“Very quick and reliable response, given the company's situation."
Haruka Murata
“Flexible, responsive and responsible.”
“She responds quickly and tries to understand what our question is.”
“Speedy and abundant experience in M&A practice.”
“She has considerable experience of cross-border M&A. The work I requested was on a transaction where we purchased 25% of shares of a company in Netherlands. We had to set up a legal team including a firm in Netherlands. She led the arrangement and negotiated with them about the scope of their work and a fee. Also, she led the project and negotiated with the seller. Thanks to her hard work, we were successful in making a stock purchase agreement in time. During the negotiations, we were able to communicate with only her because she represented the legal team.”
“Energetic, responsive and knowledgeable.”
“Very attentive, quick to respond, and innovative in problem-solving.”
Haruka Osawa
“Offers sound advice in any case.”
Work highlights
Advised SBI Holdings on capital and business alliance with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.
Advised Oisix Ra Daichi on partial acquisition of Shidax Corporation. This was the sole hostile takeover bid in Japan in 2022, and it achieved success. Generally, hostile takeover bids have been rare in Japan, with only a limited number of successful cases. Therefore, this particular deal garnered significant social attention and received daily media coverage.
Key clients
ALBERT, Koshidaka Holdings
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised KKR Japan on its acquisition of Hitachi Transport System.
Advised UBS Asset Management on the acquisition of Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty, one of the largest real estate asset managers in Japan, by KKR from Mitsubishi and UBS Asset Management. The transaction involved KKR acquiring 100% of shares in the target company from Mitsubishi Corporation and UBS Asset Management in an all-cash transaction valued at ¥230 billion.
Key clients
Baring Private Equity Asia, Mizuho Financial Group, Toppan.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised Nagano Bank on its business integration with Hachijuni Bank through a share exchange. As a result of the share exchange, Nagano Bank will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Hachijuni Bank. The banks are also expected to merge after the share exchange to maximise the effect of the integration.
Advised KKR on its acquisition of all shares of Mitsubishi Corp.-UBS Realty. This transaction is one of the largest balance sheet investments by KKR in Japan and the largest deal for the acquisition of an asset management company of listed J-REITs.
Key clients
Hitachi Construction Machinery, Isuzu Motors, Nomura Fudosan Development, PAG Japan
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Advised Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group on the sale of 100% shares in MUFG Union Bank to US Bancorp, the largest regional bank in the country.
Advising Hitachi Metals on an M&A transaction that includes a tender offer for Hitachi Metals’ shares held by public shareholders.
Key clients
Goldman Sachs, H2O Retailing Corporation, Invesco Office J-REIT, Itochu Corporation, SBI Holdings, Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Toshiba Corporation
Oh-Ebashi & Partners is a law firm with more than 150 attorneys that is capable of handling a variety of legal matters. The firm’s strengths lie in their corporate and M&A, dispute resolution and intellectual property practices. Key contacts include Norihiro Sekiguchi, Seigo Takehira and Takuro Yamaguchi. Go Hashimoto joined the firm as a M&A partner from Atsumi & Sakai in January 2023.
Work highlights
Advised Chart Industries on its acquisition of UK-based industrial equipment maker Howden. This transaction is considered reportable due to the worldwide location of the target company's offices, which necessitated the need for global permits and approvals. Furthermore, it involves the exit of a prominent US private equity fund, and a transaction value of approximately $4.4 billion.
Key clients
Nidec Corporation, Nissin Electric, Shin-Keisei Electric Railway, Sumitomo Pharma.
TMI Associates, one of the five largest law firms in Japan, has broad expertise across corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, intellectual property and regulatory matters. In particular, the firm has good expertise in the IP arena as it houses a strong bench of practitioners skilled in handling the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm also has a proven track record advising clients in the banking, consumer goods and services, manufacturing, and media and entertainment sectors. TMI Associates’ connections to several major global firms and joint ventures ensures it is able to offer seamless and outstanding legal services both foreign and domestic. Intellectual property practitioner Mitsuko Miyagawa, and corporate and M&A specialists Masakazu Iwakura and Tatsuhiro Takahara, are key figures. M&A partner Kazumitsu Goto departed to Withers in September 2022.
Client feedback
“We have highly valued the firm’s past work, especially its expertise, client-oriented work, communication and business awareness.” – Banking and finance
“TMI (TMI Associates) are very expeditious in their work and their turnaround time is very good. They also have deep knowledge of working with international hotel firms franchise agreements as well as knowledge of drafting a ‘win-win’ management agreement.” – Real estate
Hideki Kurauchi
“Mr. Hideki is always quick and reasonable, plus he knows our business very well, as well as the banking and real estate industries. His client-oriented work is highly appreciated.”
“Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kurauchi worked in the private sector in sales and is very knowledgeable on business and the timeliness that agreements etc need to be provided to our clients. He also understands business very well and works to create a ‘win-win’ arrangement for all parties.”
Work highlights
Advised Olympus Corporation on its ¥427.6 billion ($2.9 billion) sale of the scientific solutions department business engaged by Evident Corporation and its subsidiaries, to US private equity company Bain Capital. Not only does this transaction represent one of the largest deals in Japan in 2022 and involve the divestiture of a highly profitable and market-leading business, but it also spans nearly 20 jurisdictions around the world, indicating its global scope and complexity.
Advised Omron Corporation on its acquisition of a 33% stake in JMDC and the capital and business alliance agreement with JMDC. This deal is expected to create innovative synergies in the industry as it is a capital and business alliance between JMDC, a leading company in Japan in the field of services using healthcare data, and Omron Corporation, a leading manufacturer of consumer healthcare equipment. The scale of the deal itself was over ¥100 billion, making it one of Japan’s largest M&A cases.
Key clients
Hinode, Japan Industrial Solutions, Nippon Soda, Olympus Corporation.
Corporate specialist firm Tokyo International Law Office focuses on international and cross-border transactions. The firm has a solid record facilitating outbound M&A deals by Japanese corporations, joint venture projects with foreign partners as well as inbound transactions including buyouts, tender offers, carve-outs and mergers. It has a wealth of experience in the automobile, chemicals, manufacturing, entertainment, consumer goods, healthcare and financial services industries. The firm also has close cooperation with more than 150 affiliated foreign local firms in a multitude of jurisdictions. Mikiharu Mori and Koki Yamada are co-managing partners.
Work highlights
Assisted Asahi with its strategic joint venture with Dentsu for the purpose of establishing “Smart Drinking”. Asahi Breweries' latest deal reflects its strategic shift towards promoting responsible drinking and increasing the availability of low-alcohol drinks. This move is significant for a global leader in beer manufacturing.
Advised M3 on its acquisition of MirVracha, a platform for medical professionals boasting roughly 60% of all physicians in Russia that focuses on building a quality network of healthcare professionals.
Acted as Japanese counsel for Provident Acquisition Corp in a complex de-spac transaction and conducted due diligence on Perfect Corp’s Japanese entities.
Key clients
Daiho Corporation, Kurita Water Industries, T-Gaia Corporation, Z Holdings Corporation.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Acted for Suruga Bank in a mass mediation case filed by approximately 400 debtors with the Tokyo District Court. Following a successful mediation, Suruga Bank offset the ¥60 billion ($409 million) share-house loans to those debtors with the settlement payments to those debtors and assigned the outstanding loans to third-party investment funds.
Key clients
Hyper, Nippon Light Metal Holdings Company, Tabikobo.
Atsumi & Sakai is a leading full-service law firm offering a range of counsel services pertaining to most financial and corporate law matters. The firm has an excellent reputation for assisting startups and financial institutions on fintech-related matters. It offers additional strength in the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors. The firm is also known for its expertise in securitization, covered bonds and similar structured finance transactions. Go Fujimoto and Yusuke Miura are key contacts.
Client feedback
“Excellent advice on complex questions and a very sound and reliable team who were available at all hours and enjoyed tremendous trust and comfort with the client.” – Competition/antitrust
“They possess a high level of specialised knowledge and experience and provide accurate feedback to the client.” – Competition/antitrust
“The lawyers at A&S (Atsumi & Sakai) are very sophisticated in the legal assistance they provide. They act as an integrated team that operates very efficiently and effectively.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm possesses good communication skills with clients.” – Competition/antitrust
“The law firm has great knowledge and is very helpful and responsive.” – Corporate and M&A
“The law firm is highly responsive and demonstrates flexibility in meeting clients' needs, including outsourcing work when necessary. They provide clear and practical advice, showcasing a strong understanding of business matters.” – Labour and employment
Saori Hanada
“Saori is very much committed to providing the legal assistance that the client needs. She has deep knowledge of all aspects of Japanese competition law and provides top-rated advice. She understands the business well and will always try to find a creative solution whatever the challenge the client faces.”
“Excellent knowledge of the law, immense confidence placed in her by the client and always available and responsive.”
Etsuko Kameoka
“Etsuko excels in client communication and possesses extensive knowledge on EU competition law.”
Emi Uchida
“Emi is highly responsive and provides practical advice based on her extensive experience. She is a skilled negotiator, adept at successfully closing and resolving difficult labour disputes in a favourable manner.”
Takafumi Uematsu
“This lawyer possesses great knowledge and is highly helpful and responsive.”
Tatsuo Yamashima
“This lawyer possesses specialised knowledge and experience.”
Work highlights
Represented global institutional investors as plaintiffs in a lawsuit claiming compensation for damages due to mis-statements in the annual reports by Toshiba Corporation.
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
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Represented Toshiba in the defence of claims brought by former or current shareholders in tort alleging improper disclosure of financial information in past years.
Key clients
Coincheck.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Acted as legal counsel for Shionogi in a litigation against Japan’s tax authority regarding an issue arising from an in-kind contribution of a partnership interest for the development of a drug to fight AIDS.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised Hokuriku Electric Power Company on legal matters related to the 2400 MW Fujairah F3 gas combined cycle power project, the largest gas-fired power project in the UAE.
Advised Japan Petroleum Exploration on a syndicate-type green loan financing to promote the No. 2 plant and No. 3 biomass power plants projects located in Hokkaido, Japan. These projects are considered important as they are expected to reduce the CO2 emissions and significantly contribute to the promotion of the green initiatives by each sponsor.
Key clients
Barclays Securities Japan, Goldman Sachs, TEPCO Power Grid.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Represented utility company Chubu Electric Power in its development and project financing for a large-scale onshore wind power project. This is a large-scale onshore wind power project located in Hokkaido prefecture developed by the consortium of Chubu Electric Power and startup electric retailer Looop. This is one of the largest onshore wind projects in the region in terms of scale and value.
Key clients
Osaka Gas, Tokyo Gas.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised GE Energy Financial Services and Setouchi Kirei Future Creations on a ¥81.9 billion refinancing of project finance for the Setouchi Kirei Mega Solar Power Plant, one of the largest mega solar projects in Japan. This refinancing deal was unique in Japan due to two rarely seen features. Firstly, it was implemented through a debt funding competition process. Secondly, the refinancing was structured as an amendment and restatement of the existing financing agreement, resulting in additional complexities regarding the documentation.
Key clients
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised MGM Resorts International on its proposed development of Japan’s first integrated resort in Osaka, Japan. The project will involve an initial investment of approximately ¥1.08 trillion in support of opening a casino complex in Osaka. Japan's first integrated resort is significant for several reasons: not only will it have a major impact on the country's economy, but it will also provide new opportunities for economic development and revitalisation of local communities.
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
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.
Abe Ikubo & Katayama is a market-leading intellectual property practice with a proven track record across the full range of IP, especially in IP infringement litigation. The firm offers strong technical knowledge in the fields of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biotechnology, electronics and telecommunications. Eiji Katayama and Hiroshi Kobayashi are key contacts.
Client feedback
“They are flexible thinkers to proactively meet clients' needs. They are also experienced in IP litigations with a good understanding of the pharma business.” – Intellectual property
“During the course of the contract negotiations, they interviewed our company in detail about our business and worked hard to reach an agreement on terms that would not become obstacles for the progress of our company's business.” – Intellectual property
Mami Hino
“She is passionate to deepen her knowledge and experience and then to meet clients' needs. She is a great flexible thinker.”
Shoichiro Kajinami
“He has an understanding of our company's business and industry. He also has deep knowledge in the field of intellectual property rights. His explanation is polite and easy to understand. Good sense of business balance and leads to appropriate solutions.”
Work highlights
Represented Eisai in a case seeking a declaratory judgment for patent non-infringement and invalidity.
Represented Abbott Laboratories in a patent invalidation trial case.
Represented Apple in a patent infringement dispute against FirstFace, a Korean non-practising entity.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Advised Japan Digital Space Economy Federation on the preparation and publication of the Report for Economic Development of Digital Economy, which identifies and discusses IP and various other legal issues involving the metaverse and similar digital spaces on the internet. This matter holds significance as it pertains to the emerging metaverse industry, where numerous unprecedented IP and other legal issues have arisen and will continue to arise. The purpose of this report is to address these novel issues, providing companies with an understanding of and guidance on how to navigate IP-related challenges when conducting business in the metaverse.
Miura & Partners offers a one-stop legal solution for clients. Founded in 2019, the firm practises in sectors including corporate and M&A, finance, competition law and intellectual property. With the philosophy of ‘providing comprehensive legal advice and assisting clients in achieving their business goals’, the firm retains its presence both domestically and internationally. Masayuki Atsumi, Tomotake Matsuda, and Kazuo Itazaki are the key figures. The corporate team welcomed Masahiro Terada as a partner from City-Yuwa Partners in January 2023.
Client feedback
"They aggregate and coordinate a number of law firms in conducting due diligence in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously." – Corporate and M&A
"They provided the latest findings, quickly. Documentation is also very fast." – Corporate and M&A
"They respond quickly and try to understand what we are asking." – Corporate and M&A
"Speciality in each corporate legal matter and affordability." – Corporate and M&A
"Miura & Partners devoted themselves to overcoming very difficult negotiations with the counterparty to win our desirable conditions. As a result, we executed the contract with terms and conditions with which we are satisfied." – Corporate and M&A
"The firm has experienced lawyers in various fields. They can assign proper lawyers to a project." – Corporate and M&A
"In our investment project, we received valuable advice not only from a legal perspective, but also from tax, finance and business perspectives." – Corporate and M&A
"Talented staff. Vast network to tie in law firms outside of Japan and to coordinate efforts with them." – Corporate and M&A
"Providing service in a timely manner with reasonable expense." – Corporate and M&A
"Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice." – Corporate and M&A
“Very fast and very capable. Private equity is a very fast-paced and results-driven environment. We spent months getting nowhere with a different law firm, but they handled our requests to satisfactory results, even when doing so was very challenging due to multi-party contract negotiation.” – Private equity
Yoshie Midorikawa
“Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice. Appropriate assignment of highly specialised colleagues who provided practical and commercial solutions alongside nuanced legal understanding. Timely responses with succinct and accessible explanations of the relevant law and potential options, enabling us to make informed decisions.”
Kentaro Minegishi
“He makes reasonable proposals based on the details of the consultation.”
Ryota Miura
“Very quick and reliable response, given the company's situation."
Haruka Murata
“Flexible, responsive and responsible.”
“She responds quickly and tries to understand what our question is.”
“Speedy and abundant experience in M&A practice.”
“She has considerable experience of cross-border M&A. The work I requested was on a transaction where we purchased 25% of shares of a company in Netherlands. We had to set up a legal team including a firm in Netherlands. She led the arrangement and negotiated with them about the scope of their work and a fee. Also, she led the project and negotiated with the seller. Thanks to her hard work, we were successful in making a stock purchase agreement in time. During the negotiations, we were able to communicate with only her because she represented the legal team.”
“Energetic, responsive and knowledgeable.”
“Very attentive, quick to respond, and innovative in problem-solving.”
Haruka Osawa
“Offers sound advice in any case.”
Work highlights
Advised Nippon Aqua in a patent infringement suit filed by one of Japan’s largest manufacturers, with respect to a patented insulation material used in residential construction. This patent infringement litigation involved a vigorous back and forth of assertions and evidence covering a wide range of legal points, including the technical scope and validity of the patent. This case ended in favourable settlement.
Successfully represented stationery product manufacturing company King Jim in defending a lawsuit for allegedly copying the form of merchandise.
Key clients
Pihana Consulting.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised Shiseido on its worldwide trademark prosecutions including filings, office actions, oppositions, trials and licences. In 2022, the firm handled over 1,000 new trademark applications and over 1,000 applications for renewal in more than 100 countries, including all relevant office actions, oppositions and administrative procedures for the client.
Key clients
Kowa Company, Pan Pacific International Holdings Corporation.
Outstanding IP boutique firm Nakamura & Partners is intimately familiar with application procedures for patents, design registrations and trademark registrations, demands for appeals and various other steps and procedures taken before the Japan Patent Office. The firm is particularly renowned for its patent contentious capability as well as IP transactions and unfair competition work. Its industry expertise includes TMT, high-tech electronic, chemical and manufacturing. Kazuhiko Yoshida is a key practitioner.
Work highlights
Successfully defended KDDI in a case filed by GPNE seeking ¥100 million as a partial claim for unjust enrichment of ¥154 billion ($1 billion).
Successfully defended Sandoz in a case filed by Warner Lambert seeking injunction against the client's products.
Successfully represented Toho in a case filed against Taguchi Industrial based on violation of the unfair competition act.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Defended Amazon Services International in a lawsuit alleging that the client’s failure to distribute the plaintiff’s content constitutes a tort and breach of contract.
Advised Takeda on the sale of its subsidiary, Takeda Consumer Healthcare, to a company under the Blackstone Group and its affiliates for $2.3 billion.
Advised Heartseed, a Japanese biotech start-up, on a global collaboration and licensing agreement with Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk.
TMI Associates, one of the five largest law firms in Japan, has broad expertise across corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, intellectual property and regulatory matters. In particular, the firm has good expertise in the IP arena as it houses a strong bench of practitioners skilled in handling the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm also has a proven track record advising clients in the banking, consumer goods and services, manufacturing, and media and entertainment sectors. TMI Associates’ connections to several major global firms and joint ventures ensures it is able to offer seamless and outstanding legal services both foreign and domestic. Intellectual property practitioner Mitsuko Miyagawa, and corporate and M&A specialists Masakazu Iwakura and Tatsuhiro Takahara, are key figures. M&A partner Kazumitsu Goto departed to Withers in September 2022.
Client feedback
“We have highly valued the firm’s past work, especially its expertise, client-oriented work, communication and business awareness.” – Banking and finance
“TMI (TMI Associates) are very expeditious in their work and their turnaround time is very good. They also have deep knowledge of working with international hotel firms franchise agreements as well as knowledge of drafting a ‘win-win’ management agreement.” – Real estate
Hideki Kurauchi
“Mr. Hideki is always quick and reasonable, plus he knows our business very well, as well as the banking and real estate industries. His client-oriented work is highly appreciated.”
“Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kurauchi worked in the private sector in sales and is very knowledgeable on business and the timeliness that agreements etc need to be provided to our clients. He also understands business very well and works to create a ‘win-win’ arrangement for all parties.”
Work highlights
Represented Ricoh Company in a lawsuit against its recycle toner cartridges manufacturers. This case is of great significance as it involves the enforcement of patent rights and the defence of antitrust law, including the issue of abuse of rights. The dispute is between a copier manufacturer and a recycled toner cartridge manufacturer. Notably, it is the first case where the relationship between patent rights and antitrust law, specifically with regards to recycled products, has been thoroughly discussed in court proceedings.
Represented NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation and Zoom Video Communications in a trademark infringement lawsuit against Zoom Corporation.
Key clients
RC Core.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Acted as legal adviser for Credit Suisse Management on the public offering of the Premium Carry Strategy Fund, which is the 13th series trust publicly offered in Japan. The fund publicly offered its initial class units in November 2021 and subsequently publicly offered its additional class units in October 2022.
Advised Deepcore – an AI-focused incubator based in Japan that is a subsidiary of Softbank Group Corp – on its first venture capital fund, STATION Ai Central Japan I, and completed its first closing. The fund will invest in tech startups in the area of information and communication technology.
Key clients
D Capital, DBJ Asset Management, Fivestar Mezzanine, Janus Henderson Investors Europe.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised Citigroup First Investment Management, a Hong Kong investment management subsidiary of Citigroup, on the establishment and distribution of its units to Japanese retail investors through SMBC Trust Bank.
Advised IQ EQ Fund Management (Ireland) on the public offering of an underlying fund where a Cayman feeder unit trust invests in a US private credit fund. This is the first retail investment fund in Japan which invests in a reputable private credit fund.
Key clients
AllianceBernstein, Carpe Vinum.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised Nomura Securities and other underwriters on Nippon Building Fund’s global offering of new investment units. The issuer launched this yearly follow-on offering in January 2022 despite the extreme market fluctuations due to the Covid-19 pandemic after February 2020.
Key clients
Activia Properties.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Advised AT Partners on the establishment of a venture fund, AT Partners 2 Fund of $170 million.
Advised Nippon Mirai Capital, an independent Japanese investment manager, on the establishment of NMC IV Investment Limited Partnership, NMC’s fourth private equity fund.
Key clients
Angel Bridge, Aozora Corporate Investment, Enechange, Fiducia, Goldwin, MCP Capital, Nomura Holdings
TMI Associates, one of the five largest law firms in Japan, has broad expertise across corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, intellectual property and regulatory matters. In particular, the firm has good expertise in the IP arena as it houses a strong bench of practitioners skilled in handling the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm also has a proven track record advising clients in the banking, consumer goods and services, manufacturing, and media and entertainment sectors. TMI Associates’ connections to several major global firms and joint ventures ensures it is able to offer seamless and outstanding legal services both foreign and domestic. Intellectual property practitioner Mitsuko Miyagawa, and corporate and M&A specialists Masakazu Iwakura and Tatsuhiro Takahara, are key figures. M&A partner Kazumitsu Goto departed to Withers in September 2022.
Client feedback
“We have highly valued the firm’s past work, especially its expertise, client-oriented work, communication and business awareness.” – Banking and finance
“TMI (TMI Associates) are very expeditious in their work and their turnaround time is very good. They also have deep knowledge of working with international hotel firms franchise agreements as well as knowledge of drafting a ‘win-win’ management agreement.” – Real estate
Hideki Kurauchi
“Mr. Hideki is always quick and reasonable, plus he knows our business very well, as well as the banking and real estate industries. His client-oriented work is highly appreciated.”
“Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Kurauchi worked in the private sector in sales and is very knowledgeable on business and the timeliness that agreements etc need to be provided to our clients. He also understands business very well and works to create a ‘win-win’ arrangement for all parties.”
Work highlights
Advised a Japanese institutional investor on their first venture capital investments in the Nordic region using a Luxembourg investment vehicle.
Advised DNX Ventures on the formation of two new funds including the draft and negotiation of the limited partnership agreement and advice on financial regulation matters.
Advised the Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan on the launch of their first ever fund of funds to invest in alternative assets.
Key clients
DBJ Asset Management, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Asset Management, Nissay Asset Management Corporation.
Miura & Partners offers a one-stop legal solution for clients. Founded in 2019, the firm practises in sectors including corporate and M&A, finance, competition law and intellectual property. With the philosophy of ‘providing comprehensive legal advice and assisting clients in achieving their business goals’, the firm retains its presence both domestically and internationally. Masayuki Atsumi, Tomotake Matsuda, and Kazuo Itazaki are the key figures. The corporate team welcomed Masahiro Terada as a partner from City-Yuwa Partners in January 2023.
Client feedback
"They aggregate and coordinate a number of law firms in conducting due diligence in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously." – Corporate and M&A
"They provided the latest findings, quickly. Documentation is also very fast." – Corporate and M&A
"They respond quickly and try to understand what we are asking." – Corporate and M&A
"Speciality in each corporate legal matter and affordability." – Corporate and M&A
"Miura & Partners devoted themselves to overcoming very difficult negotiations with the counterparty to win our desirable conditions. As a result, we executed the contract with terms and conditions with which we are satisfied." – Corporate and M&A
"The firm has experienced lawyers in various fields. They can assign proper lawyers to a project." – Corporate and M&A
"In our investment project, we received valuable advice not only from a legal perspective, but also from tax, finance and business perspectives." – Corporate and M&A
"Talented staff. Vast network to tie in law firms outside of Japan and to coordinate efforts with them." – Corporate and M&A
"Providing service in a timely manner with reasonable expense." – Corporate and M&A
"Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice." – Corporate and M&A
“Very fast and very capable. Private equity is a very fast-paced and results-driven environment. We spent months getting nowhere with a different law firm, but they handled our requests to satisfactory results, even when doing so was very challenging due to multi-party contract negotiation.” – Private equity
Yoshie Midorikawa
“Prompt, courteous and appropriate advice. Appropriate assignment of highly specialised colleagues who provided practical and commercial solutions alongside nuanced legal understanding. Timely responses with succinct and accessible explanations of the relevant law and potential options, enabling us to make informed decisions.”
Kentaro Minegishi
“He makes reasonable proposals based on the details of the consultation.”
Ryota Miura
“Very quick and reliable response, given the company's situation."
Haruka Murata
“Flexible, responsive and responsible.”
“She responds quickly and tries to understand what our question is.”
“Speedy and abundant experience in M&A practice.”
“She has considerable experience of cross-border M&A. The work I requested was on a transaction where we purchased 25% of shares of a company in Netherlands. We had to set up a legal team including a firm in Netherlands. She led the arrangement and negotiated with them about the scope of their work and a fee. Also, she led the project and negotiated with the seller. Thanks to her hard work, we were successful in making a stock purchase agreement in time. During the negotiations, we were able to communicate with only her because she represented the legal team.”
“Energetic, responsive and knowledgeable.”
“Very attentive, quick to respond, and innovative in problem-solving.”
Haruka Osawa
“Offers sound advice in any case.”
Work highlights
Advised Japanese media conglomerate Kadokawa Corporation, formerly Kadokawa Dwango Corporation, on labour and employment matters related to maintenance of rules and regulations, handling of labour union matters, and other human resources consultations.
Advised Develop Japan Group on labour and employment matters related to the termination of a problematic employee.
Key clients
ABI, BJC, Japan Business Assurance.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Represented Japan Post, one of Japan’s largest employers, in defence of claims brought under the Labour Contract Act by a high number of fixed-term employees over differences between the terms and conditions of their employment contracts and those of employees employed permanently. This case is being widely covered by the media because of the similarity of the plaintiffs’ arguments to the new policy of ‘equal pay for equal work’ that the Japanese government has introduced. Many Japanese companies are thus carefully watching these cases and the development of the new legislation because these could significantly increase human resource costs.
Key clients
Bayer Holding, Rohto Pharmaceutical, Shiseido.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised KKR Japan and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on a ¥700 billion acquisition of Hitachi Transport System. This transaction adopted a cutting-edge scheme that combined a tender offer and buy-back of target shares from a major shareholder. It was one of the largest transactions announced in 2022 and had a significant impact on the market in this regard.
Key clients
Apollo Global Management, Integral Corporation, Lone Star Funds.
Nishimura & Asahi is established as a top-tier law firm in the country. It boasts highly reputed teams providing the full spectrum of transactions as well as complex litigation and arbitration work. With over 700 Japanese and foreign lawyers, the firm is frequently instructed by the biggest household-name corporations in Japan, and by foreign conglomerates across the financial services, automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing sectors. Nishimura & Asahi is also a firm with significant global connections that enable it to provide the utmost quality when it comes to matters of law. The firm’s main figures include Kohei Koikawa for capital markets, Kozo Kawai for competition, Yoshinobu Fujimoto for corporate and M&A, and Hiroyuki Tezuka for dispute resolution.
Work highlights
Represented Itochu Corporation on the sale of Paidy, a leading two-sided payments platform to US online payments solutions provider PayPal Holdings.
Advised Blackstone Group on its acquisition of eight hotels from Japanese railway operator Kintetsu Group Holdings.
Advised Invesco Office J-REIT on a successful defence against an unsolicited tender offer for Invesco Office J-REIT’s investment units by Starwood Capital.
Key clients
AirAsia Aviation, Anchor Equity Partners (Asia), Goldman Sachs, Rakuten Group, The Carlyle Group
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised Hulic on its acquisition of Otemachi Place East Tower. The transaction amounted to more than ¥436 billion, making it the largest real estate transaction ever in Japan. This sale of national property located in the prime area of downtown Tokyo was significant.
Key clients
Nippon Prologis REIT, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Tosei Asset Advisors.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Advised Kawasaki Heavy Industries, one of the largest Japanese companies in heavy industry, on its potential data falsification in the inspection and other processes related to absorption chillers produced and sold by its subsidiary Kawasaki Thermal Engineering for air-conditioning systems.
Assisted Japan Display in one of the biggest corporate accounting fraud cases in Japan in the past decade. This accounting fraud case was unprecedented in terms of its scale, length and complexity of the fraudulent tactics.
Assisted Kansai Electric Power in respect to a widely publicised political corruption scandal involving its executives and employees and a former politician.
Key clients
EduLab, KYB Corporation, Muto Seiko.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Advised Mitsubishi Electric on its internal investigation and crisis management regarding incidents of misrepresentation of test results in inspection reports in Japan and overseas.
Advised Biprogy on an investigation on the issue of loss of personal data at its subcontractor. The case was widely reported in the press because it involved a large amount of personal data of citizens of a local public entity to which the client had contracted work.
Key clients
Fujitec, OKWave, Peatix, Institute of Applied Energy.
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, one of the largest and most diversified law firms in Japan, consistently impresses clients with its outstanding practices across almost all categories including banking and finance, capital markets, energy, disputes, funds, employment, regulatory and tax. As one of the ‘Big Four’ firms, it is a go-to firm for high-profile mandates, with a remarkable wealth of industry-specific expertise. Prominent figures in the firm include IP-focused Yasufumi Shiroyama and tax specialist Koji Fujita.
Client feedback
“The firm provided legal services combined with expertise and rationality.” – Banking and finance
"Very appropriate and rapid advice provided based on their understanding of our business and needs. We were able to release our new business structure and scheme to our clients at the scheduled time." – Banking and finance
“The firm always provides reasonable advice not only from a legal perspective but also from a business perspective, backed by wide and deep experience.” – Banking and finance
“Demonstrated understanding of regulations, practices and clients' interest.” – Capital markets
“Responsive, hands-on and pragmatic with no language barriers.” – Competition/antitrust
“The firm showcased their expertise and experience in the subject matter. They possess strong communication skills, providing reliable, objective and reasonable assessments and recommendations.” – Competition/antitrust
“AMT (Anderson Mori & Tomotsune) is prompt and thoughtful in providing guidance in managing competition risks in Japan. We are happy to have a reliable local firm that can cater to the demanding timeline of their client.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive, very good at conducting research, and insightful.” – Corporate and M&A
“The level of services has been satisfactory in every respect. We are satisfied with their expertise, and prompt and accurate response to the risk of frequent regulatory changes. They have also been very attentive to our communication needs, and we have been able to receive their advice with peace of mind. In terms of costs, they are flexible and fair in adjusting to different situations, which is very helpful.” – Corporate and M&A
“AMT has deep knowledge and experience in Japan. The firm is able to take this knowledge and experience and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice on complex issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“They helped us in collaboration with an English law firm and successfully led us to a prevailing position over the English licenser.” – Intellectual property
“Transparent communication and reliable.” – Investment funds
“The firm boasts a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced lawyers in the desired field.” – Investment funds
“The approach is more practical than academic, focusing on the practical point of view rather than excessive theoretical discourse.” – Labour and employment
“Moderate and supportive attitude and communication.” – Labour and employment
“They provided a balanced view based on the market trend and the risk consideration.” – Labour and employment
“They presented us with not only the legal issues to be solved, but also how we solve such issues and the possible consequences, with multiple alternatives.” – Privacy and data protection
“They are very responsive and responded to our requests in a flexible manner.” – Privacy and data protection
"Excellent and appropriate advice coupled with hard work.” – Regulatory
Hiroshi Ishihara
“He has an extensive international network, which helps us resolve any issue arising in overseas jurisdiction.”
Naoyuki Kabata
“Responsive and knowledgeable.”
Minoru Kobayashi
“In addition to their exceptional expertise in the field of real estate finance, they possess a profound understanding of the business aspects and demonstrate flexibility, providing precise and valuable advice.”
Ken Kobayashi
“He provides reasonable advice considering both legal and business perspectives by leveraging his working experience both in the law firm and an investment bank.”
Eiji Kobayashi
“Very client-oriented, values communication and relationship, and most of all, he provides the best possible solution for his clients.”
Junichi Kondo
“Deep understanding of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan.”
Vassili Moussis
“The lawyer possesses excellent knowledge in both Japanese and EU antitrust matters. He is responsive and pleasant to work with.”
Takashi Nakazaki
“His advice is adequately detailed and easy to understand.”
Zentaro Nihei
“Nihei is responsive and practical and coordinates advice across areas very well. He has good judgement and provides practical advice on complex issues.”
Kensuke Otsuki
“He has solid knowledge in the labour and employment area, and we trust that his recommendations and advice are accurate and reliable. He is adept at incorporating feedback and utilising it to improve the output, which we greatly appreciate.”
Takehisa Sato
“The lawyer possesses a deep understanding of regulations, practice, and clients' interests.”
Wataru Shimizu
“The lawyer provides practical and valuable advice based on their diverse knowledge, encompassing not only the automotive industry but also other industries.”
Reiji Takahashi
“Deep knowledge and expertise in the project finance space.”
Shintaro Takeoka
“This individual possesses great knowledge and an excellent personality.”
Takaharu Totsuka
“The lawyer exhibits high professionalism and possesses extensive knowledge in financial laws. They also demonstrate a deep understanding of our business needs.”
Junichi Ueda
“Very practical, polite and understanding of the client's needs and situation.”
Ko Wakabayashi
“The lawyer takes a bottom-line approach, being responsive and understanding the needs of the client.”
Atsushi Yamada
“The lawyer possesses superb subject-matter knowledge and experience, demonstrating sound judgement. He has a strong business sense and is adept at managing client expectations. Additionally, his English skills are excellent, particularly in spoken English, surpassing the capabilities of the majority of Japanese lawyers.”
“He is willing to assist on difficult requests on short notice. He provides consistent work product on a timely basis, and I consider him as a go-to lawyer on competition issues in Japan.”
Work highlights
Represented creditors of the United Ocean Group in filing a petition to commence the corporate reorganisation proceedings of United Ocean Group, including its 40 foreign special purpose companies in Panama and Singapore. The United Ocean Group matter was a landmark case because it was the first corporate reorganisation case where foreign entities were deemed to be equivalent to Japanese stock corporations.
Key clients
Digipoke, Matsue Kankyo No Mori, Newton Press, Tibanne.
Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in most practice areas and sectors. It maintains an excellent reputation for undertaking sophisticated domestic and cross-border transactions as well as contentious matters. As one of the largest full-service Japanese law firms, with more than 550 lawyers, the firm is counsel of choice for some of the major Japanese corporations and foreign multinationals, assisting clients from a broad range of sectors including financial services, energy, manufacturing and real estate. Key figures include banking and finance practitioner Masanori Sato, capital markets-focused Katsumasa Suzuki, M&A and private equity expert Gaku Ishiwata, investment funds lawyer Ken Miura, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Soichiro Fujiwara. Restructuring and insolvency partner Daisuke Asai departed to Anderson Mori and Tomotsune.
Client feedback
“Responds quickly and flexibly.” – Banking and finance
“The firm demonstrated a high level of expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They have deep knowledge and rich experience about syndicated loans.” – Banking and finance
“Timely and proper support on legal issues and documentation.” – Energy
Hiroki Aoyama
"He has a lot of experience in syndicated loan arrangements. Therefore, his knowledge and experience are helpful for us."
“He provides fast and accurate answers.”
Yuki Matsuda
"He is knowledgeable in the field of finance and is able to explain complex financial concepts in an easy-to-understand manner."
Masahito Saeki
"His quick responses and deep insights are valuable in our work."
Work highlights
Represented Marelli Holdings, one of the world's leading suppliers to the automotive industry, in its turnaround alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in order to drastically improve and restructure Marelli’s financial structure with the support of banks. Upon the failure of the turnaround ADR, the firm’s client immediately switched to simplified rehabilitation proceedings (SRP), a quick version of civil rehabilitation proceedings that could effectively cram down the opposing banks by using SRP. In Japanese turnaround history, Marelli's successful use of cramdown functions and its unprecedentedly short duration of 25 days for restructuring plan approval made it the largest case ever in the Japanese manufacturing industry.
Key clients
Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Successfully represented NGK Insulators before the Tokyo High Court in transfer pricing litigation requesting cancellation of a tax adjustment administered by the Japanese tax authority. The decision in the case is unprecedented and epoch-making in that it significantly limits the scope of the residual profit split method, one of the transfer pricing methodologies under Japanese tax law.
Successfully represented Universal Music before the Supreme Court in tax litigation seeking cancellation of a tax assessment. This case was unprecedented in that it was the first in which a court handed down a decision on the deductibility of interest on a so-called debt-pushdown transaction, a common transaction in Japanese and foreign acquisition practice.
Key clients
Barclays Bank, Monex Group.
Established in 2000, top-tier firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu offers a full range of legal services covering all industry sectors. The firm's expertise includes banking and finance, capital markets, construction, corporate and M&A, investment funds, labour and employment, regulatory and tax. The members of their project practice team are highly experienced in all sorts of project development and project finance in Japan, representing foreign and domestic project sponsors, contractors and financiers. The banking and finance team provides high-quality legal services, advising on Japan's banking laws and practice, including structured finance, acquisition finance and project finance transactions. The firm also has a strong reputation in capital markets transactions, corporate and M&A, and dispute resolution. With an extensive transactional experience in various industries and an overseas network spanning across locations in Asia and the US, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is well-equipped to handle complex cross-border matters for both domestic and overseas clients. Over the past year, the firm's corporate, dispute resolution, and labour and employment teams have achieved a significant number of promotions, demonstrating their dedication and expertise in their respective areas.
Client feedback
“They provided us with positive feedback about legal matters, especially for laws regarding J-REIT.” – Banking and finance
“They respond accurately and honestly.” – Real estate
Takashi Itokawa
“He always achieves the most appropriate balance by leveraging his extensive experience with real estate funds, particularly J-REITs, to make complex deals viable. He is also outstanding in addressing complicated structures in urgent circumstances.”
“His response is quick and polite. He also has extensive knowledge of real estate.”
Work highlights
Assisted NTT Corporation in establishing a joint venture company with SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation to launch a novel integrated space computing network.
Assisted Sony Group Corporation in establishing a joint venture company with Honda Motor with the purpose of engaging in the sale of high-value-added electric vehicles and provide services for mobility.
Key clients
Itsumo, Ricoh Company, Space Compass Corporation.
