Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin > Tokyo, Japan > Firm Profile
Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin Offices
Withers Gaikokuhou Jimu Bengoshi Houjin
21F JA Building
1-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100-6821
Japan
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Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin > The Legal 500 Rankings
Japan > Real estate and construction: International firms and joint ventures Tier 2
The team at Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin is jointly led by Gerald Fujii, Naoki Ueyama, Steven Wheeler and Toshihiko Tsuchiya, with its broad expertise spaning the full spectrum of real estate issues, from acquisitions and disposals, to sales, leases, and financings. The group regularly assists Japanese clients with cross-border transactions, and international clients with their investments into Japan. Fujii is noted for his longstanding experience in advising real estate investment funds, lenders and REITs, while Ueyama has a wealth of experience in advising on structured and acquisition financing mandates. Tsuchiya has vast knowledge of securitization and liquidation issues, including TMK schemes. Wheeler primarily focuses on property related M&A, advising clients on the corporate and commercial aspects of real estate matters.Practice head(s):
Gerald Fujii; Naoki Ueyama; Steven Wheeler; Toshihiko Tsuchiya
Key clients
Alyssa Partners Japan
Capital Land
CLSA Capital
Deutsche Bank
JP Morgan No
LaSalle Investment Management
Maiora Asset Management Pte Ltd
Mapletree Investments
Morgan Stanley
Nuveen
PAG Investment Management Ltd.
Shinsei Bank
Starwood Capital Asia Limited
Work highlights
Japan > Tax: International firms and joint ventures Tier 2
The tax team at Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin is commended by clients for its ability to ‘provide practical advice‘, with co-head Eric Roose lauded for his ‘super technical skills‘ and ability to ‘explain complex things in a very easy to understand manner‘. Fellow co-head Kohei Kobayashi is an international tax adviser and licensed tax attorney, experienced in assisting clients with international estate taxation planning matters as well as the tax aspects of M&A transactions and restructurings. The practice is also recommended for its work advising high-net-worth individuals, private equity houses, and international corporations.Practice head(s):
Eric Roose; Kohei Kobayashi
Testimonials
‘The Japan tax team of Withers is my go-to team for any Japan tax advice that our Chinese clients need. They always act very quickly and provide practical advice. Also, their main working language is English, which is a big advantage.’
‘My main contact is Eric Roose. In addition to his super technical skills, he has a very strong business sense and is an excellent communicator. He can explain complex things in a very easy to understand manner.’
Key clients
MPower Partners Fund
FLOW Digital Infrastructure
PAG Real Estate Property Fund III
Nuveen Alternative Living Fund
Japan > Investment funds: International firms and joint ventures Tier 3
Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin‘s dedicated investment funds group concentrates on assisting domestic and international investment managers and financial institutions with complex matters involving Japan financial laws and regulatory issues relating to running businesses in Japan. Koji Yamamoto and Yoshiyuki Omori, who jointly head up the team, undertake a diverse workload including acting as local counsel on open and closed-ended funds, and often provide related tax assistance, as well as advice on fund formations and financial instruments dealer registrations.Practice head(s):
Koji Yamamoto; Yoshiyuki Omori
Withers Japan, Zeirishi Houjin > Firm Profile
The firm:Withers is one of the world’s first international law firms dedicated to the business, personal and philanthropic interests of successful people, their businesses, families and advisers. With over 220 partners and more than 1,500 staff members in 17 offices across Europe, US, Asia Pacific and the Caribbean, Withers has unparalleled expertise in the key legal issues facing individuals, their businesses and their families. Its clients’ interests span 80 countries and the firm has acted for 74% of the top 100 UK ‘Sunday Times Rich List’, and a significant number of the US ‘Forbes List’ of Richest Americans and the Asian ‘Hurun Rich List’.
Established in 2015, the Tokyo office has a team of leading lawyers with more than 20 years of experience working in Asia, equipped with the experience to advise Japan’s most prominent companies and international corporations on inbound and outbound cross-jurisdictional transactions. The team is also uniquely positioned to provide tax advice and are specialists in structuring foreign investment funds investing into Japan real estate, serving as the leading adviser to major fund groups.
Tokyo is also one of the cities with the largest number of millionaire residents, and the lawyers are equipped with the expertise to provide private client work with Withers being the go to firm for a number of private banks.
Areas of practice
Tax:Â Â Withers has a fully diversified tax practice in Tokyo and provides domestic and international businesses, both publicly or privately owned, tax efficient strategies and advice in many areas including:
- Pre-sale/IPO tax planning
- Mergers and acquisition tax advice
- Cross-border transactions
- Partnership, corporation and other entity planning
- Tax compliance
- IP licensing / sponsorship agreements
Working closely with tax lawyers based in the other 18 offices, Withers Japan provides clients with a deep level of local expertise while bringing a global perspective.
Investment funds: The investment funds team in Tokyo has seven professionals with extensive experience, forming one of the premier investment funds and investment management practices in Japan. As a full service firm, Withers provides fund sponsors and investors advice on all funds and multi-jurisdictional related matters, including:
- Investment management arrangements
- Fund structuring and formation
- Private equity funds
- Private placement and fund collective vehicle documentation
- Regulatory and securities law advice
Real estate: Members in the real estate team have consistently been regarded as leading practitioners in the field. The team advises clients at all stages of inbound and outbound real estate investment cycles, from leasing, sales, asset acquisitions, acquisition finance, to fund formation, public offerings and restructurings. Clients include investment banks, commercial banks, lenders, developers, institutional investors, private equity funds, pension funds and advisers, REITs and multinational corporations.
Legal services Wither’s lawyers advise on include:
- Real estate related M&A
- Real estate private equity
- Real estate financing, structured finance and acquisition finance
- Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
Corporate M&A: Withers’ corporate lawyers have significant cross-border M&A experience. We have helped local and foreign investors acquire assets and deal with ongoing operational issues.
Our corporate team in Asia advises companies, corporate groups and entrepreneurs on every aspect of their commercial arrangements and business affairs, from start-up to international expansion, restructuring and disposal. Working alongside our overseas partners in the United States and Europe, we can provide seamless international commercial law advice to clients across a wide range of business sectors. We can advise companies and their key stakeholders at each stage of the business lifecycle.
Private client: Withers has one of the largest international private client legal teams in Asia, enabling it to provide a wide range of services in multiple languages in the same time zone as its clients, making the legal advice both cost-and time-efficient. This has also enabled the firm to respond to client needs by forming dedicated teams to service entrepreneurs, families, family offices, investment and private banks, trust companies, landed estates and the globally wealthy. Its substantial presence across Asia is further strengthened with offices in the US, Europe and the British Virgin Islands. What sets Withers apart from its peers is that its team typically acts for the creators of wealth and their families, and focus on developing long term relationships with those clients across its offices.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Investment Management | Koji Yamamoto | koji.yamamoto@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2565 |
Investment Management | Yoshiyuki Omori | yoshiyuki.omori@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2567 |
Real Estate | Gerald Fujii | gerald.fujii@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2563 |
Real Estate | Naoki Ueyama | naoki.ueyama@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2564 |
Private Client & Tax | Eric Roose | eric.roose@witherskhattarwong.com | +81 3 6810 2561 |
Real Estate | Toshihiko Tsuchiya | toshihiko.tsuchiya@withersjapan.com | +81 3 6810 2562 |
Real Estate | Hiroyuki Sakazaki | hiroyuki.sakazaki@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2568 |
Private Client & Tax  | Kohei Kobayashi    | kohei.kobayashi@withersjapan.com | +81 3 6810 2573 |
Corporate | Kazumitsu Goto | kazumitu.goto@withersjapan.com | +81 3 6810 2307 |
Real Estate | Akinari Nakano | akinari.nakano@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2569 |
Corporate | Yuko Zaha | yuko.zaha@withersworldwide.com | +81 3 6810 2309 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Gerald Fujii | Partner | View Profile | |
Kazumitsu (Kaz) Goto | Partner | View Profile | |
Kohei Kobayashi | Partner | View Profile | |
Akinari Nakano | Counsel | View Profile | |
Yoshiyuki Omori | Partner | View Profile | |
Eric Roose | Partner | View Profile | |
Toshihiko Tsuchiya | Partner | View Profile | |
Naoki Ueyama | Partner | View Profile | |
Koji Yamamoto | Partner | View Profile | |
Yuko Zaha | Counsel | View Profile |