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Linklaters

Linklaters

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Japan

1

Projects and energy: International firms and joint ventures

Linklaters' offering has a prominent projects and infrastructure team in Tokyo that covers financing and investment transactions across all areas, including inbound and outbound wind, solar and hydrogen projects. Renewables and energy transition are a key focus for the group, which is co-led by Hirofumi Taba and Ilia Ditiatev; Taba is well-regarded for his expertise in investments and acquisitions in the renewables sector, while Ditiatev specialises in energy and natural resources, with a nexus in Japan, Russia and the wider CIS region.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘What strikes me is the efficiency and effectiveness of communication. I only need to communicate once - this sounds basic, but it is so underrated and requires true management.'
  • 'Their communication offered ultimate peace of mind, and personally I believe that this is one fundamental quality of a good firm.’
  • ‘Linklaters' counsels are commercially savvy and both willing to, and capable of, understanding technical issues, which they communicate in layman's terms.'
  • 'Linklaters make commercial recommendations in addition to legal advice. The dynamic has been efficient and healthy, with much credit to the vast knowledge base of the counsels I worked with.’
  • 'The team has good industry knowledge, and the lawyers apply their knowledge of financing and EPC to any commercial team's advantage.'
  • 'The dynamic has been efficient and healthy, with much credit due to the vast knowledge base of the counsels I worked with and open mindedness of Linklaters' corporate culture.'

Key clients

  • Asian Development Bank (ADB)
  • Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure
  • AESC Group
  • Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
  • Kansai Electric Power Co Inc
  • Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI)
  • Northland Power
  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
  • Marubeni Corporation
  • Macquarie Capital
  • MUFG Bank Ltd (MUFG)
  • Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
  • Mizuho Bank
  • Tokyo Gas

Work highlights

Advising SMBC, as sole mandated lead arranger and lender, on its JPY 70.3 billion green loan to AESC Ibaraki Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AESC Group.
Advised the client on its investment in TerraWind Renewables, an onshore wind energy platform, in partnership with Shizen Energy Inc., a Japanese renewable energy company.
Advising on its US$50m co-investment alongside HSBC Asset Management’s Energy Transition Infrastructure (ETI) Team into Tekoma Energy, an energy transition platform with existing operations in Japan and Taiwan.

Lawyers

Leading partners: Bengoshi

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Hirofumi Taba
Hirofumi Taba
Practice head

Hirofumi Taba; Ilia Ditiatev