Atsumi & Sakai > Tokyo, Japan > Firm Profile

Atsumi & Sakai > The Legal 500 Rankings

Japan > Corporate and M&A: Independent local firms

Clients of Atsumi & Sakai regularly consist of acquirers, shareholders, and investors, with the practice specialising in high-stakes cross-border transactions, as well as domestic mergers and acquisitions. Jointly headed by Akimoto Kawamura, Masayuki Matsuura, Wataru Kamihigashi, Takasuke Mizukami and Shintaro Hamasu, the team regularly acts in outbound deals, with recent work involving the firm’s overseas offices in Frankfurt and London. Of counsel Youngseop Song is particularly recommended for his work covering multiple jurisdictions, such as Korea, Japan and the US.

Japan > Investment funds: Independent local firms Tier 1

Akio Kawamura heads up Atsumi & Sakai‘s investment funds team in Tokyo, and is well supported by Yukihito Machida, who leads the firm’s venture practice team. The team is particularly well regarded for its cross-border experience when advising foreign investors promoting funds in the Japanese market, an area in which the group is extremely active across the full life cycle of a fund. The group also advises clients on fund structures and handles offshore funds and the related regulatory filings. Elsewhere in the team, Ryuichi Nozaki is known for her expertise in investment fund management, including asset management and cross-border investment issues.

Japan > Antitrust and competition: Independent local firms Tier 2

The team at Atsumi & Sakai, which is headed by the 'highly qualified' Saori Hanada , handles a vast range of international matters,  including private enforcement in foreign jurisdictions, internal audits, merger control cases, and international cartel cases. Other work the practice undertakes includes risk management advice, investigations by authorities, and advice on vertical restraints. Masayuki Matsuura is a key contact for merger cases, while the 'outstanding' Tatsuo Yamashima is a name to note for cartel investigations. Setsuko Yufu is recommended for her deep knowledge of cartels, bid rigging, and leniency.

Japan > Banking and finance: Independent local firms Tier 2

Atsumi & Sakai‘s finance practice encompasses an array of sub-departments, meaning clients are able to access advice for a range of matters. For project finance, Akira Shimazaki is key, while fintech matters are dealt with by Yuri Suzuki. Other notable names within the practice group include Fumiko Oikawa, who handles securitisations; Hiroyuki Nezu, who excels in asset-based lending; and Keita Imaizumi, who focuses on asset financings. Madoka Hashimoto is the main contact for debt capital markets work; Ryosuke Oue and Michiaki Hosoi are experience in renewable energy financings; and Shintaro Hamasu handles M&A and private equity work. Shuji Koyama is noted for real estate finance issues; Hirofumi Hosoda focuses on insurance matters; Akimoto Kawamura specialises in financial regulation, and Eiichiro Hata is recommended for asset management and investment fund issues, while Yutaka Sakai has been notably active in shipping finance work.

Japan > Fintech - Independent local firms Tier 2

The ‘very strong fintech team’ at Atsumi & Sakai guides financial institutions, start-ups and IT vendors through technologically innovative work in areas including payment services, securities, insurance and data privacy. Also of note is the firm’s establishment of a policy research institute in June 2022 which aims to ‘build bridges between policies and practices in Japan that have not been tackled by either public or private institutions’. The practice is headed up by a trio of partners: Yuri Suzuki, Takafumi Ochiai and Kenichi Tanizaki. Suzuki is well versed in stablecoin legislation, Ochiai’s practice extends to dispute resolution matters in the fintech space, and Tanizaki has in-depth knowledge of banking and finance issues including bank APIs. Osamu Fujiwara leads the firm’s start-up support practice team.

Japan > Intellectual property: Independent local firms Tier 2

Japan > Projects and energy: Independent local firms Tier 2

Atsumi & Sakai‘s projects practice is led by Miho Niunoya, Michiaki Hosoi, Akira Shimazaki and Kimiharu Masaki. The diverse practice advises both renewable and traditional forms of energy from wind power to LNG and petrochemicals, and has handled an increasing number of battery storage projects. Further names to note include Yutaka Sakai who excels in solar, biomass and geothermal projects; Mayumi Hongo who has particular experience handling EPC contracts; Tomoko Watanabe who advises ECAs and banks; and Takeshi Takahashi who counts financial institutions and Japanese utilities as clients.

Japan > Risk management and investigations: Independent local firms Tier 2

The team at Atsumi & Sakai has a wealth of experience when advising on risk management issues spanning diverse industries and businesses. Comprising former prosecutors, public accountants, criminal defence lawyers, and foreign lawyers well-versed in cross-border issues, the team offers assistance across a wide spectrum of areas including whistleblowing issues, data security work, foreign investigations, and risk management audits, among others. Leading the practice are Makoto Takahara, who is an expert in corporate governance, risk management, and general compliance; Makoto Nakano, who heads up the whistleblowing response team; and Masahito Fukuda, who leads the white-collar crime team. Kohei Murakawa specialises in domestic and international dispute resolution, while Yusuke Miura provides counsel to both Japanese and international clients on various antitrust and competition matters.

Japan > TMT: Independent local firms Tier 2

Chie Kasahara and Harukuni Ito co-lead the TMT team at Atsumi & Sakai, alongside Fumiaki Matsuoka and Osamu Fujiwara, who head the data, privacy, and cybersecurity team. The firm assists clients with a wide variety of matters, including cyber-attacks, IP disputes, and compliance with the Personal Information Protection Act. Takufumi Ochiai sits within the firm’s fintech team, and represents both Japanese and foreign clients. Kasahara and Ito primarily act for pharma clients in IP and data protection related matters, Matsuoka focuses on cyber security issues, and Fujiwara is noted for his broad corporate expertise.

Japan > Capital markets: Independent local firms Tier 3

Atsumi & Sakai's practice is recommended for its expertise in structured finance matters and securitisations. The firm acts for its diverse client base of institutional investors, banks, trustees, and insurance companies. The practice is jointly led by Fumiko Oikawa, Madoka Hashimoto, and Shintaro Hamasu. Other key contacts include Hiroo Atsumi, Bonnie Dixon for asset finance transactions for aircraft and ships, and Sayaka Aizawa for syndicated loans and structured finance mandates.

Japan > Dispute resolution: Independent local firms Tier 3

Jointly headed by Toshiaki Takahashi, Hisashi Miyatsuka, Toyoki Emoto, Kohei Murakawa, Teruhisa Tomoya, Fumiaki Matsuoka, and Rikiya Okuhara, Atsumi & Sakai regularly assists clients with litigation and arbitration cases. The practice's broad caseload also encompasses pharmaceutical, manufacturing, investing, and green energy activity, with notable experience in cross-border disputes and high-value litigation before Japanese courts.

Japan > Labour and employment: Independent local firms Tier 3

Tatsuo Yamashima and Emi Uchida jointly lead Atsumi & Sakai‘s team, which assists an array of long-standing clients with the full spectrum of labour and employment law matters including labour procedures, employment agreements, directors and officer’s service contracts, and work rule issues. For contentious work, clients rely on Yamashima and Hisashi Miyatsuka. The group also offers immigration expertise and utilises the knowledge present in the firm's wider regulatory and tax groups to assists with employee benefit issues.

Japan > Real estate and construction: Independent local firms Tier 3

Russell Kawahara leads the real estate financing and development team at Atsumi & Sakai, which advises a range of clients across the real estate sector, and is particularly active in the logistics space. Drawing on the firm’s international network, the team is able to advise foreign clients such as real estate investors and funds and represents offshore REITs, as well as J-REITs, in the formation of investment funds. Takafumi Uematsu plays a key role in the team and has extensive experience in advising both domestic and international asset managers and investment funds.

Japan > Shipping: Independent local firms Tier 3

Atsumi & Sakai‘s shipping practice is particularly experienced in assisting with ship finance transactions, with Keita Imaizumi and Ryosuke Oue jointly leading the team. Yutaka Sakai is also a key member of the practice, and regularly assists with finance work.

Japan > Tax: Independent local firms Tier 3

The tax team at Atsumi & Sakai is especially experienced in advising clients on tax planning, auditing, and accounting work. Teruhisa Tomoya leads the tax and accounting department alongside Hisashi Miyatsuka and Takashi Tezuka, while fellow co-head Shinichiro Shimizu leads the special tax team. Clients are regularly advised on corporate tax matters, tax issues relating to organisational restructurings, securities transactions, and financial due diligence in cases of mergers and acquisitions.