Japan

Katsuya Uga, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan and Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo, joined Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu as a special advisor on September 1, 2025. Dr. Uga served as a professor at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, University of Tokyo, for 25 years beginning in 1994. In February 2019, he was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan and served in that capacity until July 2025. With the addition of Dr. Uga, we are committed to providing the highest quality of legal services to meet our clients’ business needs. View original article here.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu is pleased to announce that it commenced operations at its London office on 11 August 2025. Kiyoshi Honda, who heads the London office, brings extensive experience in handling cross-border transactions in the U.K. and continental Europe, with particular expertise in renewable energy, environmental law, and real estate, after earning his LL.M. at University College London Faculty of Laws. In addition, Tak Matsuda, who has practiced at leading U.K. law firms and is currently practicing as a Solicitor at his own firm, will serve as a special advisor to our London office. By collaborating closely with our Tokyo-based European Practice Group and leveraging our extensive network of leading law firms in the U.K. and across continental Europe, we are well-positioned to provide comprehensive, timely legal advice, tailored to our clients’ various needs, based on the latest local market developments and regulatory changes. View original article here

On July 18, 2025, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu (NO&T) hosted a reception in Hanoi City to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of its Hanoi office. The event was attended by distinguished guests, including His Excellency Mr. Naoki Ito, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as well as representatives from Japanese and local companies. NO&T was represented by lawyers from our Hanoi office together with lawyers from our Tokyo office and other offices and locations in Asia. Since its establishment in April 2015, our Hanoi office has steadily expanded its operations and team size. We provide one-stop legal services for Japanese companies’ investment projects in Vietnam, M&A and real estate development projects in Vietnam, and dispute resolution through the collaboration of Vietnamese lawyers with expertise in local law and Japanese lawyers based in Vietnam who are well-versed in Japanese corporate culture and international transactions. Looking ahead, our Vietnam offices remain committed to supporting our clients’ business development with greater efficiency and responsiveness. Our team of Vietnam-based lawyers are well-positioned to provide direct, local legal services, in collaboration with our Tokyo office and other offices and locations in Asia, and to support our clients’ evolving needs through tailored legal services. View original article here.

I. Introduction The digitalization of civil litigation procedures in Japan began with the introduction of teleconferencing and video conferencing systems under the 2010 amendment of the Code of Civil Procedure. The use of teleconference had become widely adopted, enabling parties or their representatives located far from the courts to participate in preparatory proceedings to arrange issues and evidence. However, many aspects of civil litigation in Japan have yet to be modernized. For instance: ･　as a general requirement, paper documents must be lodged in order to file a lawsuit; ･　parties and their representatives are required to physically attend dates for oral arguments; and ･　court records are kept in paper form and people who wish to inspect the records are required to visit the courthouse. These days, where information and communication technology has advanced significantly, the digitalization of civil litigation is being promoted to make civil litigation more efficient and accessible to parties. This article provides an overview of the recent changes relating to the digitalization of civil litigation in Japan that are being introduced through the enactment of further amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure. [1] View original article here. Author: Hiroki Tajima, Partner [1] The amended Code of Civil Procedure has already been promulgated and will come into effect from the date specified by a Cabinet Order, which must occur by May 24, 2026. Certain of these changes have already come into effect, as noted in this article.