Ushijima & Partners > Tokyo, Japan > Firm Profile
Ushijima & Partners Offices
SANNO PARK TOWER 12F (RECEPTION)/14F
11-1, NAGATACHO 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU
TOKYO 100-6114
Japan
Ushijima & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
Japan > Dispute resolution: Independent local firms Tier 2
Ushijima & Partners acts in disputes across corporate, real estate, securities, and system/software development, with experience in both domestic and international matters. The department has a strong record in disputes related to corporate control, with a history of favourable results in a range of hostile takeover cases. Shin Ushijima, whose contentious experience includes corporate matters and international transactions, co-leads the team with Osamu Inoue, who has expertise in real estate and construction litigation. Also key in the team are Yoshimoto Kawamura and Rikisuke Yamanaka, as well as Hiroyasu Kageshima, who specialises in disputes related to IT and data security.Practice head(s):
Shin Ushijima; Osamu Inoue
Other key lawyers:
Hiroyasu Kageshima; Hiroshi Watanabe; Rikisuke Yamanaka; Yoshimoto Kawamura
Testimonials
‘U&P has rich experience in Japanese litigation on securities and corporate law matters, especially representing investors, including foreign investors.’
‘I believe that their partners, especially Mr. Watanabe, Mr. Inoue, and Mr. Kawamura, have outstanding capabilities of working in complex litigation in Japan.’
‘This firm has numerous highly capable lawyers and staff with specialized knowledge.’
‘They handle their business diligently and respond promptly.’
‘Mr. Rikisuke Yamanaka. This lawyer has specialized knowledge and responds appropriately and quickly to our questions and requests. He also provides detailed explanation to make us feel more secure and follows up well.’
‘They are good at technically difficult security and finance litigation where the value of derivatives, equity, company value etc were diputed among companies including foreign companies.’
‘They listen well to the client request, but they are careful in developing arguments in the courts.’
‘As to the dispute resolution, Ushijima is clearly among the best law firms in Japan.’
Key clients
Oasis Managment Company Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised Oasis Management Company Ltd. about potential legal proceedings it could pursue regarding the unfair M&A (share exchange) and, on behalf of the client, fild a petition for determination of share price and a lawsuit seeking invalidation of the share exchange and damages associated therewith.
Japan > Real estate and construction: Independent local firms Tier 2
Ushijima & Partners‘ well established real estate practice is well known for its significant experience in real estate transactions and securitisation. The department also has strength in real estate litigation, and handles disputes related to leases, land pollution, and construction. Kohtaro Tamura
leads the team. Hiroki Awahara, who handles investments, finance transactions and regulations, and Osamu Inoue, whose area of expertise is construction related cases and transactions, are also key, as are real estate financing expert Masahiro Shiotani and Naoki Hieda, who is particularly active for foreign clients active within Japan.Practice head(s):
Kohtaro Tamura
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The firm’s strength is its extensive knowledge and experience in real estate securitization transactions, particularly investment structuring with TMK. They are familiar with complex TMK investment structures and can advise clients appropriately.’
‘We usually appoint Hiroki Awahara, attorney at law in Japan. Mr. Awahara is also a key person in the firm’s office, which has the most extensive knowledge of real estate securitization in the industry. He has handled so many cases that he can advise us on problems and solutions when the case compares to market practices.’
‘Ushijima Law is very knowledgeable and extremely responsive.’
‘As project completion timings are sometimes extremely challenging, the firm has always provided its advice in a timely manner.’
‘Hieda sensei has been a wonderful legal advisor. He has tremendous experience and always go the extra mile to advise clients on complex matters. Hieda sensei has always endeavoured to complete the work on time. Highly recommended to work with.’
‘Responding to our queries very promptly and with satisfactory replies.’
‘I have worked with very pleasant people so far, that provide very swift answers to my needs and queries.’
Japan > Corporate and M&A: Independent local firms Tier 3
Ushijima & Partners provides Japanese clients active both domestically and overseas with a broad set of services, including corporate reorganisations, preventative legal practices, and defending against hostile takeovers. Managing partner Shin Ushijima and Hiroshi Watanabe jointly lead the department. Hiroyuki Yamauchi and Rikisuke Yamanaka are also key name within the team.Practice head(s):
Shin Ushijima; Hiroshi Watanabe
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘From difficult cases to minor cases, we recognize that we get responses almost 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.’
‘Attorney Hiroshi Watanabe can deal with consultations in various fields sincerely.’
Key clients
Invesco Office J-REIT, Inc.
Kabushiki Kaisha Inage Driving School
Work highlights
- Advised the Special Committee established by Invesco Office J-REIT, Inc. with regard to the hostile tender offer launched by Starwood Capital Group.
Japan > Labour and employment: Independent local firms Tier 3
Ushijima & Partners has a focus on employment litigation, negotiations, and investigations, and is particularly experienced in employee termination matters. The team has aptitude in cross-cultural matters, including those of a delicate nature. Rikisuke Yamanaka leads the department, and handles a range of issues including employee downsizing, workplace disciplinary actions, non-competition agreements, and visas and immigration.Practice head(s):
Rikisuke Yamanaka
Other key lawyers:
Shinobu Yanagita; Makiko Yageta
Japan > TMT: Independent local firms Tier 3
Ushijima & Partners acts for high-profile domestic clients, able to provide cross-sectoral advice across IP and IT matters. Data protection is a particular area of expertise, with the team able to advise on relevant legislation in numerous international jurisdictions. Hiroyasu Kageshima leads the department, and has broad expertise across system development, personal data, internet service, fintech, and data leakage.Practice head(s):
Work highlights
- Provide legal advice on the amended Act on Protection of Personal Information in Japan to approximately 50 clients, which include the amendment of Privacy Policy, internal rules, Data Transfer Agreement, Data Processing Agreement.
Japan > Legal market overview
Japan > Fintech - Independent local firms
Ushijima & Partners > Firm Profile
The firm: Ushijima & Partners is a full-service law firm representing domestic and international clients in Japan and providing overseas legal services to Japanese clients both directly and through its international alliances, such as Multilaw, ELA and LAW. The firm was founded in 1985 by Shin Ushijima and currently numbers 66 attorneys.
The firm represents clients across a broad range of industries, including financial institutions, trading companies, manufacturers, system integration vendors, IT service providers, construction companies, real estate companies, broadcasters, telecommunications, entertainment, distributors, professional associations and public or quasi-public agencies. The firm also represents high-net-worth individuals in the areas of family business planning and trusts and estates.
The founding partner is a leading practitioner in general corporate matters, including compliance and corporate governance, and is often interviewed on TV and in the media. The firm has significant experience in M&A, representing corporations in both international and domestic M&A for either acquirers or targets and in the hostile takeover defence area. The firm has long experience representing major domestic insurers and its founding and managing partner is an outside director of a major domestic insurer. The firm has an elite reputation for its deep knowledge and high level of practice in real estate and securitisation. The senior real estate partner is well known as a major pioneer and eminent practitioner in the securitisation of real property with wide knowledge of the relevant laws. The firm has expertise in intellectual property and technology including major disputes involving system development and integration. The firm has expertise in labour matters and has won precedent-setting victories in corporate restructuring for a major well known multinational company, and in injunctive relief to prevent the former president of a major well known multinational company from competing. The firm also has significant victories in soil contamination and construction litigation.
Some of the firm’s attorneys have served as high level prosecutors in the Ministry of Justice and the Public Security Intelligence Agency, as well as in-house general counsel, in international organisations, and as chairmen or advisors of numerous committees relating to REIT and real estate investment, including MLIT and the Ministry of Construction and the Japan Real Estate and Japan Economic Research Institute. Associate attorneys are regularly seconded to government agencies.
All of the firm’s Japanese attorneys are bilingual in Japanese and English, and its clients comprise roughly 50% domestic and 50% international. The firm has native English-speaking, US-admitted attorneys assisting in presentation and communication to clients.
Although a very large part of the firm’s practice is corporate, the firm has a strong reputation as top litigators in litigation and dispute resolution, including acting for major multinational companies with subsidiaries in Japan, and is often sought by clients aware of its reputation by word of mouth as the go-to litigation counsel in Japan.
Areas of practice: The firm is a full-service firm providing strategy, advice, negotiation, transactional work and dispute resolution for multinational and domestic companies under Japanese law (and through its relationships internationally) in the following areas, namely: corporate, including general corporate practice (both domestic and international); compliance/corporate governance; M&A; hostile takeover; labour/employment; tax; real estate; environmental law; financial regulations; finance/securitisation; insurance; restructuring/insolvency and corporate rehabilitation; risk management; antitrust; litigation (including international commercial litigation)/alternative dispute resolution (including arbitration); international transactions; international investment; antitrust; intellectual property (including patent, trade mark and copyright); entertainment; internet, media and technology; customs/trade; contracts; Asia practice; and international inheritance/international divorce.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate | |||
| Compliance/corporate governance | |||
| M&A | |||
| Hostile takeover | |||
| Labour/employment | |||
| Tax | |||
| Real estate | |||
| Environment | |||
| Financial regulations | |||
| Finance/securitisation | |||
| Insurance | |||
| Restructuring/insolvency | |||
| Risk management | |||
| Litigation/arbitration | |||
| International transactions | |||
| International investment | |||
| Antitrust | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| Internet, media and technology | |||
| Customs/trade | |||
| Contracts | |||
| Intellectual property | |||
| System development | |||
| Personal information/utilization of personal data | |||
| Information management/cyber security | |||
| Asia practice | |||
| International inheritance/international divorce |
Lawyer Profiles
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 66Languages
English JapaneseMemberships
Multilaw Employment Law Alliance Lawyers' Associated Worldwide (LAW)Other
Contacts : Shin Ushijima (founding partner)Notable Cases
Urban Renaissance Agency/Muza Kawasaki Litigation
Successfully represented the lead defendant, Urban Renaissance Agency, in a case brought by a local government as the owner of a world-renowned symphony hall (Muza Kawasaki) for JPY 2 billion in damages against our client as the seller of the hall and seven of its designers and contractors when the ceiling of the symphony hall collapsed during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The case involved highly technical construction defect claims for special construction of the elaborate 2,000 seat hall. On May 31, 2018, the Yokohama District Court rendered judgment entirely in favor of our client and the other defendants, and this victory was affirmed by the appeals court on November 7, 2019.