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.
Practice head
Hirofumi Taba; Ilia Ditiatev