Nishimura & Asahi > Tokyo, Japan > Firm Profile

Nishimura & Asahi > The Legal 500 Rankings

Japan > Antitrust and competition: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi fields a team experienced with handling high profile merger cases and M&A transactions both domestically and with cross-border elements, as well as significant expertise in cartel and bid-rigging investigations. The department is notably strong in the semiconductor space. Kozo Kawai, who has more than 20 years’ experience in antitrust, international trade affairs and large-scale disputes, leads the team which includes Madoka Shimada, who has a broad antitrust practice with a particular aptitude for high value IT-industry deals, and Kojiro Fujii, who advises high profile multinationals on a range of matters.

Japan > Banking and finance: Independent local firms Tier 1

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.

Japan > Capital markets: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi provides full coverage of the practice area, with expertise across securitisation in all asset classes, in addition to capital-market and derivatives transactions. The department is also particularly active in the domestic debt, equity, hybrid security and J-REITs markets. Team lead Kohei Koikawa has a strong reputation in equity and debt transactions, and has expertise in IPOs, follow-on offerings and convertible bonds. Masaru Ono is well known in the market, with more than 40 years’ experience in the practice area. Also key is Kentaro Sugimoto, who covers a broad range of transactions including Euro bond offerings, global bond offerings, IPOs, and follow-on offerings.

Japan > Corporate and M&A: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi‘s large team lead and participate in high value international and domestic transactions, with expertise in a broad range of areas, including strategic planning, joint ventures, corporate defense, and closing procedures. The firm is notably strengthened by its multiple offices, with four domestic Japanese locations, and fourteen overseas, across Asia, Europe, and the US. The department is co-led by Asa Shinkawa, who has significant private equity experience, and expertise in structuring complex transactions involving multiple parties, and Yoshinobu Fujimoto, whose practice includes cross-border M&A and joint ventures. Masaki Hosaka, Chairman of the Management Board of the Firm, is also key, as is Yuki Oi, who focuses on the high-tech, industrial, and financial sectors.

Japan > Dispute resolution: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi is highly active in product liability, contract disputes, and IP disputes, with further expertise in areas including tax disputes, construction disputes, and labour law disputes. As part of a full-service firm, the team provides comprehensive support across industries such as pharmaceutical, financial and engineering, with high-profile domestic and international clients. Highly experienced department head Hiroyuki Tezuka has a strong reputation in international arbitration, and is Vice President of the Japan Association of Arbitrators. Akihiro Hironaka focuses on large-scale disputes, and is particularly active in the pharmaceutical and automotive sectors, while Yutaro Kawabata has expertise in disputes arising out of the termination of contracts. Foreign registered lawyer Lars Markert, who is qualified in Germany and New York, advises clients on European law issues, and has particular expertise in the life sciences, automotive and energy sectors. Chié Nakahara is another key name, and has experience in high profile and high value international litigation.

Japan > Intellectual property: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi provides strategic advice on a diverse set of matters, including major transactions, corporate disputes, and large-scale IP lawsuits. The department has notable strength in media and entertainment, but has broad sector expertise which includes the technology, pharmaceutical, and life sciences industries. Clients include a range of high profile Japanese clients, including numerous names active on a global scale. Co-leading the team are Yoshiyuki Miyashita, who has significant experience working on IP matters across the TMT sectors, and Hitomi Iwase, who handles trademarks, patents, and copyrights in a wide range of sectors. Yoko Kasai is a name to note, with a practice which focuses on corporate transactions involving complex intellectual property issues.

Japan > Investment funds: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi offers comprehensive legal services across the spectrum of investment fund issues, including documentation, compliance, product design and planning, as well as M&A and fundraising in both the investment and exit stages. The department has coverage of both traditional asset management activities and alternative investments, such as private equity funds, venture capital funds, and private-placement real estate funds. Makoto Igarashi has over 30 years’ experience representing investment managers with fundraising and investment, and co-leads the department alongside Kei Ito, who has expertise advising both domestic Japanese and overseas clients on the full range of funds. Also key are Yoshiharu Kawamata, who handles private equity, mezzanine, and infrastructure funds, and Kohei Ishida, who is highly experienced advising on international and domestic investment fundraising.

Japan > Labour and employment: Independent local firms Tier 1

Full service firm Nishimura & Asahi provides a one-stop service for all employment matters, with coverage of daily personnel and labour issues, in addition to employment disputes and overlapping legal areas such as M&A, organisational restructuring, and bankruptcy. Yuri Sugano advises both foreign and domestic clients on labour and employment matters, and specialises in handling layoffs connected to insolvencies and restructurings. Sagano co-leads the department alongside Jiro Abe, who advises on restructurings, post-merger integrations, union negotiations, and labour disputes, in addition to providing clients with seminars and training sessions in the practice area. Senior associate Yukihiko Watanabe, who joined in 2020 from boutique corporate labour firm Takai Okazeri Law Firm, is also noted.

Japan > Private wealth: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi caters to private business owners, founders’ families, major shareholders of listed companies, and other high-net-worth individuals, providing significant support across tax, insolvency and litigation. The department has a broad set of strengths, with areas of expertise including fund formation, establishing trust funds, and family disputes, and has business succession, and tax and estate planning, as key areas of strength. The department is co-led by senior partner Yoshinobu Fujimoto, who handles business succession planning, inheritance issues, and international taxation, and Masaru Shibahara, whose focus is counselling high-net-worth individuals in connection with business successions and disputes. Counsel Kohei Matano is a name to note.

Japan > Projects and energy: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi‘s long established project finance & energy group provides specialised legal services for project financing and the development and procurement of natural resources and energy. The department has a strong reputation for its work on infrastructure and power projects, and highly active in the renewable energy sector, with significant experience across solar, wind, geothermal and biomass. Co-leading the team are Tomohiro Sato, who specialises in project finance transactions relating to renewable energy projects, IPP projects, and PFI, and Nagahide Sato, who has significant experience in PFI and electricity business work. Core team members include cross-border project finance expert Maya Ito, energy sector specialist Sadayuki Matsudaira, and Norio Maeda, whose practice covers all stages of project development, from acquisition to financing. The international reach of the team is marked by its inclusion of gaiben partners Adrian Joyce, Alexander Woody and Nathan Schmidt.

Japan > Real estate and construction: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi‘s real estate team provides a complete range of services including purchases, investments, leasings and management to both domestic and international clients. Yoshihiko Kawakami, who leads the team, is an expert in real estate finance and structured finance. Hiroshi Niinomi and Norio Maeda are both key team members, with experience working on major projects throughout Japan. Meanwhile, the construction team, which is led by international infrastructure construction specialist Shintaro Uno, advises companies on matters across Asia and beyond, and is highly experienced on contentious matters. Associate Natalie Yap is a name to watch.

Japan > Restructuring and insolvency: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi has a strong reputation for complex restructuring and insolvency work, particularly out-of-court workouts and turnarounds. The department is particularly focused on representing debtors, and attracts a diverse range of clients from a range of industries. Kenichi Minami, who leads the department, has more than twenty years’ experience in the practice area, and has expertise across corporate reorganisation, civil rehabilitation, bankruptcy, and liquidation proceedings. Restructuring expert Hajime Ueno is another key name, with a strong record of handling complex and custom deal. Yuri Sugano, who has notable experience in cross-border restructuring, is also noted.

Japan > Risk management and investigations: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi handles a broad range of corporate crises, including investigations by government authorities, securities and financial fraud, white-collar crime, and foreign corrupt practices, as well as any other misconduct for which corporations may be held accountable. The department is able to handle responses to investigations, dealing with stock exchanges, responses to government and municipal offices, and communications with the media. Leading the team is Hiroshi Kimeda, whose focus is on corporate crisis management and litigation, with broad experience in corporate scandal cases. Also key are criminal investigations specialist Kei Umebayashi, Kaku Hirao, who has a history of matters involving foreign investigations and regulatory authorities, and Tomoyuki Numata, whose practice covers corporate crisis cases, as well as international cartels and unilateral anticompetitive conduct.

Japan > Tax: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi is particularly known for its expertise in tax disputes, with additional aptitude in handling tax reversals and audits. The department also offers tax advice for corporate matters such as restructurings, M&A, and financial product development. Yo Ota, whose practice covers M&A, cross-border transactions, and corporate governance, leads the team. Core team members include Kazuhiro Takei and Akihiro Hironaka, who specialises in tax disputes. Yasutaka Nishikori, who handles tax elements of financial instruments, M&A transactions and corporate reorganisations, and transactions expert Tsuyoshi Ito are also key. Mayuko Nakamura, who handles international tax law and tax disputes, is also noted.

Japan > TMT: Independent local firms Tier 1

Nishimura & Asahi‘s large team brings expertise in all areas of TMT, including data protection, international trade, and regulatory issues, as well as high value M&A and corporate advice. The firm advises both governmental clients and major multinationals, and is particularly active in the motor industry. The department is led by corporate and M&A practice heads Asa Shinkawa and Yoshinobu Fujimoto. Key names within the team include the experienced Hiroshi Uchima and Takahiko Date, as well as regulatory specialist Kojiro Fujii.

Japan > Fintech - Independent local firms Tier 2

Nishimura & Asahi brings significant regulatory and financial experience to the fintech sector, advising banks, securities firms, financial institutions, and start-up ventures. The department covers a range of issues, including payment services, crypto-assets, and financial transactions, servicing both domestic and international clients. Department head Naoya Ariyoshi is particlarly active on crypto-assets, and has expertise in financial regulations. Susumu Tanizawa covers international financial regulations and financial transactions related to fintech. Also key within the team are Akihiro Shiba, who has expertise in security tokens, NFTs, and app-based stock trading, and newly promoted partner Toshiyuki Yamamoto, who advises on digital securities.

Japan > Shipping: Independent local firms Tier 2

Nishimura & Asahi‘s highly experienced asset finance team is highly active on complex domestic and cross-border maritime transactions, including the full range of leasing and financing work. In particular, the department has significant experience on Japanese Operating Lease Transactions with Call Options (JOLCOs). Katsu Sengoku, whose practice focuses on ship leasing, financing and trading, leads the team which includes finance and investment expert Kosuke Shibukawa, and Adrian Joyce, who covers cross-border finance and asset transactions.

Myanmar > Corporate and M&A

Nishimura & Asahi regularly advises foreign clients on regulatory issues associated with exit strategies from joint ventures in Myanmar. In the firm’s Tokyo office, practice leader Yusuke Yukawa supports clients with the management of investments and is frequently assisted by several associates, including Takefumi Suzuki and Tomoto Nakashima, as well as Yangon-based Kyi Chan Nyein. Its cross-border capability, provided by Tokyo-based Mitsuhiro Harada, enables the team to update domestic and foreign clients on local regulatory changes, especially in the contexts of insolvency proceedings and entry strategies.

Vietnam > Real estate and construction

Nishimura & Asahi has a strong focus advising Japanense real estate developers and investors, as well as multinational and Vietnam corporations, on urban development projects and construction matters. Smart city projects are also within the team’s capabilities. Hikaru Oguchi leads the firm’s Vietnam practice from Tokyo, and other key contacts include Vu Le Bang, who specialises in inbound investment, Ha Hoang Loc, Kazuhide Ohya and Akira Hiramatsu.