The tax department at DLA Piper Tokyo Partnership Gaikokuho Kyodojigyo Horitsu Jimusho is active across a number of industries, spanning tech, insurance, healthcare, infrastructure, and retail, where it acts for domestic, regional and Fortune 500 companies. The group is geared to handle international and domestic tax restructurings, supply chain remodelling, customs duties disputes, and the tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions. California and New York-qualified Lance Miller is a key contact for cross-border tax matters relating to venture capital and M&A transactions. Miller leads the group alongside of counsel Keitaro Uzawa, who focuses on international and domestic taxation, transfer pricing and disputes before the National Tax Agency and the Customs.

Jones Day boasts a longstanding presence in the Japanese market, where it often advises both domestic and international companies on the tax aspects of cross-border transactions, including M&A, corporate restructurings, audits and transfer pricing, with a emphasis on outbound matters. Koichi Inoue heads up the team and is especially sought after to handle complex administrative proceedings as well as high-stakes tax litigation and audits. Inoue works alongside Taku Osawa, who focuses on tax disputes and transfer pricing matters, and Kyosuke Katahira, whose expertise spans M&A, joint ventures and licensing agreements.

At Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin, the international corporate tax team sits within the firm’s international commercial practice, which regularly collaborates with its offices in the UK, US, Singapore, Kong Hong and Australia, to handle cross-border tax matters for multinational companies, private equity firms and high-net-worth individuals. Leading the team is Eric Roose, who is specialised in inbound and outbound investments and global tax treaties. Other key names include international tax adviser and licensed tax attorney Kohei Kobayashi, who joined the firm in September 2021 from PwC Legal Japan, and associate Erin Gutierrez, who often assists high-net-worth families with inheritance tax and estate planning matters.

Led by Michito Kitamura, PwC Legal Japan‘s tax practice offers corporates strategic advice on tax structuring and audits, litigation and administrative proceedings. Kitamura, who has extensive experience in handling the tax aspects of M&A, restructuring and ESG-linked transactions, is often sought after to represent clients in disputes involving foreign entities classification and deb-equity swap tax treatment. He is supported by director Kozo Kuromatsu, who is well versed in tax audits, litigation and transactional matters.