The private wealth team at City-Yuwa Partners is renowned for assisting clients with business succession planning, business restructuring, asset management, and trust formation, as well as addressing inheritance matters. The team is co-led by Shigeaki Itoh and Hitomi Sakai, who collaborate closely with tax accountants and financial institutions to manage a range of wealth management and estate planning matters. Shotaro Aoki specialises in domestic and international estate planning, inheritance disputes, and business succession.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'What makes City-Yuwa unique is that they have a connection with most countries, which was helpful when we needed advisory services covering multiple jurisdictions.'
- 'City-Yuwa has global network and knowledge of both Japanese and global laws. Hitomi Sakai, in particular, offers comprehensive guidance to her clients.'
‘The team exhibited excellent communication skills, efficiently sharing information among members without requiring repeated explanations, even as tasks were distributed across different individuals. Each team member demonstrated thoughtful consideration and genuine compassion towards the case, showing a deep level of engagement and understanding. Additionally, the team's flexibility in handling various aspects of the case was commendable. Their cohesive and empathetic approach made a significant positive impact for me.’
'Hitomi Sakai was always patient, flexible, and responded quickly to any inquiries I had. This greatly helped me feel more comfortable and well-informed about the processes I was engaging with, knowing I was well-advised throughout.'
'City-Yuwa Partners worked like "one-stop service". They took the initiative and helped me with filing the inheritance tax returns and transfer of the house title.'
Work highlights
- Advised on Japanese tax treatment of the client's family's estate planning, involving entities in Japan, Singapore, and Australia.
- Advised clients living in Japan with estate planning at the request of their family office based in Switzerland.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Shigeaki Itoh, Hitomi Sakai
Other key lawyers
Shotaro Aoki