Anderson Mori & Tomotsune assists investment and commercial banks, private equity funds, and major corporations on a broad spectrum of acquisition finance transactions. The 50 partner team brings signficant breadth and depth of experience, with key individuals including Hiroaki Takahashi, who has expertise in structured finance, Satoshi Inoue, who covers leveraged finance and private equity, and Mari Itoh, who handles corporate transactions. Minoru Kobayashi, Takashi Akahane and Norifumi Takeuchi are also noted.

Atsumi & Sakai‘s strong ties with its overseas offices yield a strong cross-border practice, with high value international matters across project finance, acquisition finance, real estate finance and financial regulatory services. The department also has expertise in general banking work, including syndicated loans, asset finance, and securitisations. The team, which includes 53 partners, is co-led by financing specialists Yuri Suzuki, Michiaki Hosoi and Keita Imaizumi, asset-based lending expert Hiroyuki Nezu, Naoki Kanehisa, who heads the London office, and founding partner Hiroo Atsumi. Also key are structured finance expert Yutaka Sakai and Akira Shimazaki, who was promoted to partner in January 2021.

‘Reliable top-tier choice‘ Mori Hamada & Matsumoto advises leading financial institutions and major investors on the full range of financing transactions, with expertise in corporate loans, structured finance, real estate finance, and mezzanine finance. This is supplemented by significant experience in financial services regulation. Lead partner Masanori Sato has expertise in structured finance, capital markets, and real estate. Hiroki Aoyama covers syndicated loans, LBOs, and project finance, while Takahiro Kobayashi advises on securitisation, with a specialism in the energy sector. Also key are Yusuke Suehiro and Kei Shirakawa, who cover a broad range of financing transactions.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu has expertise in loans and credit-related transactions, including syndicated loans, non-recourse loans, and derivatives, as well as significant strengths across acquisition finance, real estate finance, and regulatory work. The department also covers securitization projects, insolvency and bankruptcy advice. Fumihide Sugimoto, who specialises in debt, equity, and other securities, leads the team, which includes real estate financing expert Mami Ikebukuro, and Jiro Mikami, who covers acquisition finance. Also key are Hiromi Hattori, whose experience includes M&A and banking transactions, and Hironori Matsuo, whose experience includes acquisition finance and foreign trade finance.

Nishimura & Asahi‘s large team assists banks and financial institutions with a wide range of high value domestic and cross-border transactions. The department is particularly active on asset finance, acquisition financing, and financial regulations. Department head Katsu Sengoku is an asset finance specialist, particularly ship and aircraft finance, with additional expertise in structured finance. Gaiben lawyer Adrian Joyce, who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in 2020, advises on complex cross-border matters, while Hideo Horikoshi covers acquisition finance, project finance, and syndicated lending. Acquisition finance expert Takashi Saito is another key name within the department.

City-Yuwa Partners advise domestic and international trusts, banks, and securities companies on regulatory issues and transactions, with strength in structured finance related to real estate. Junko Hirakawa, who has significant experience in the practice area, leads the team. Masamichi Sakamoto is particularly active in real estate finance, asset finance, and financial regulation, while Gen Takizawa covers ECA finance, securitisation, derivatives, and trust transactions. Reiko Yoshida, who joined from Atsumi & Sakai in 2021, has significant expertise on ship financing.

TMI Associates acts on a broad range of high value and complex matters, including corporate finance, structured finance, project finance, REITs, and derivative transactions, with particular expertise in the real estate sector. Team head Yoshiyasu Yamaguchi is a banking and capital markets expert, and is particularly well known for energy work. Other key names are Hideaki Kurauchi, who specialises in high value real estate work, Haruo Narimoto, who has expertise in structured finance and securitization, and Junji Shiraki, whose practice includes a wide array of finance transactions.

Kaynex Law Offices, which was established in 2016, has expertise across securitisations, private fund formation, and structured finance. The department is led by the highly experienced Norifusa Hashimoto, whose broad practice includes structured finance, general securities and asset securitisations. Associate Yuta Nakao is a name to watch.