The corporate M&A practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune has a diverse client base, which includes private equity funds, international financial institutions, pharmaceuticals companies and manufacturers. Alongside handling domestic corporate work for Japanese clients, the practice regularly advises on cross-border investments, corporate restructurings, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. The team is jointly led by Hiroki Kodate and Keiko Kaneko, who are both highly experienced in assisting domestic and international clients in heavily regulated sectors. Support is provided by Ko Wakabayashi and Keita Tokura on corporate governance matters, general corporate work, and international transactions, as well as M&A dispute resolution.

Clients of Atsumi & Sakai regularly consist of acquirers, shareholders, and investors, with the practice specialising in high-stakes cross-border transactions, as well as domestic mergers and acquisitions. Jointly headed by Akimoto Kawamura, Masayuki Matsuura, Wataru Kamihigashi, Takasuke Mizukami and Shintaro Hamasu, the team regularly acts in outbound deals, with recent work involving the firm’s overseas offices in Frankfurt and London. Of counsel Youngseop Song is particularly recommended for his work covering multiple jurisdictions, such as Korea, Japan and the US.

The corporate team at City-Yuwa Partners, which clients compliment for its ‘valuable advice‘, is jointly headed up by Yukihiro Fujimoto and Akira Nagasaki, with the team advising clients on acquisitions and alliance agreements, as well as drafting and negotiating share purchase agreements. Noriko Higashizawa, described as ‘extremely responsive‘, is another key name alongside Hiroyasu Horimoto and Hirosato Nabika.

Boutique M&A firm Hibiya-Nakata focuses on both inbound and outbound M&A transactions, with name partner, founder, and outbound specialist Nobuo Nakata leading the practice. The firm’s client base spans a diverse set of industries, including the banking, pharmaceuticals, technology, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Tatsuya Soeda, who clients describe as an ‘excellent lawyer‘ who ‘understands the entire deal process‘,  is a recommended name for cross-border mergers and acquisitions, with particular expertise in emerging markets.

Kojima Law Offices‘ M&A team, which also deals with joint ventures and corporate alliances, is headed up by the ‘eminent‘ Hiromasa Ogawa, who specialises in cross-border transactions. Key team members include Hirokazu Amemiya, who brings experience across multiple jurisdictions; Naoki Idei, who is recommended for his dispute resolution skills; the ‘commercially astute‘ Nozomi Watanabe, and US attorney Darcy Kishida, who is licensed in New York, DC, and Hawaii.

Clients appreciate Miura & Partners‘s ability to offer advice ‘not only from a legal perspective, but also from tax, finance and business perspectives‘. Co-head of the practice Hisashi Shibata is the name to note for tender offer bids and services for non-public companies, while fellow co-head Haruka Murata, who is especially experienced in cross-border deals, is commended by clients for her ‘value-adding advice‘. Other names to note within the team include the ‘very dependable‘ Ryoichi Inoue, who regularly works with clients across Japan and Indonesia.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto’s corporate practice is lauded by clients for its ‘extremely high performers‘ and for being ‘reliable in difficult situations‘. Practice heads Hajime Tanahashi and Gaku Ishiwata have specialisms within private equity and venture financing, while the wider practice is able to assist clients with matters such as corporate restructurings, cross-border acquisitions, international mergers, joint ventures, squeeze-out transactions, and shareholder activism. The team, which also includes notable contacts Akira Matsushita and Atsushi Oishi, has a particular strength in the technology sector, as well as experience within the manufacturing, banking, financial services, pharmaceuticals and energy industries. Norihito Sato is commended for providing ‘thoughtful and practical solutions’ for clients.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu‘s corporate and M&A group is especially known for its experience in handling high-value transactions for both domestic and international clients, in particular cross-border transaction work. The team offers a full service to clients in industries spanning the real estate, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, electronics, telecoms, energy, and technology sectors, with recent work involving assisting a Japan-based international manufacturer with an acquisition spanning three jurisdictions. Hiroshi Mitoma and Yuko Tamai jointly lead the team, which also includes Tomohiko Iwasaki, Shuichi Nishimura, Takahiro Oishi and Wataru Matsumoto; Oishi and Matsumoto were promoted to the partnership in January 2023.

The corporate department at Nishimura & Asahi is jointly led by Yoshinobu Fujimoto, who is known for his work on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and Asa Shinkawa, who is the name to note for private equity matters. Other work the practice undertakes includes joint ventures, strategic planning, closing procedures, and business integrations. Hiroshi Uchima is adept at advising on large and complex transactions, while Yuji Shiga is particularly experienced in risk management and international transactions. Masaki Hosaka, Yo Ota and Yuki Oi are other key members of the team, with specialisms including advice within the industrial and financial sectors as well as proficiency in matters involving international private equity houses.

The corporate M&A team at Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners possesses particular expertise in the domestic market, with TMT specialist Norihiro Sekiguchi and Osaka-based Seigo Takehira leading the practice. The department is also able to offer advice on private equity investments, shareholder activism cases, crisis management work, business alliance agreements, cross-border acquisitions and corporate governance issues. Takuro Yamaguchi is recommended for his experience with M&A transactions in the life sciences sector, while the wider team is proficient in assisting clients within a range of industries including the pharmaceuticals, electronics, energy, telecoms, real estate and aviation sectors.

The ‘exceptionally knowledgeable‘ team at M&A boutique southgate is jointly headed up by Takeshi Iitani, Mangyo Kinoshita, Eric Marcks and Gaku Yoneyama, and is commended for being ‘willing to adapt to its clients‘. The practice regularly undertakes work in venture financings, cross-border acquisitions, content development transactions and other transactional work.

TMI Associates‘ corporate M&A team is jointly led by Masakazu Iwakura, Tatsuhiro Takahara, and Nobuyuki Watanabe; Iwakura has more than 30 years’ experience, Takahara offers clients his expertise in private equity work, and Watanabe has expertise in public and private M&A. The team regularly works with overseas offices in Singapore, Thailand, China, and Cambodia to offer clients extensive support in outbound M&A. Alongside general corporate matters, the practice also assists with restructurings, risk management issues (for which Takashi Toichi is a key contact), public takeovers, and seller due diligence. Other key team names include Takushi Saito and Kensei Ikeda.

Ushijima & Partners‘ corporate and M&A practice is particularly strong in defending against hostile takeovers, with this being name partner and co-head Shin Ushijima‘s area of expertise. Hiroshi Watanabe, who also leads the team, is experienced in litigation linked to M&A transactions. Other key contacts within the practice include Osamu Inoue, whose work includes advising international clients on acquisitions of Japanese companies; Rikisuke Yamanaka, who handles cross-border transactions; and Takashi Osawa.

ZeLo, a Foreign Law Joint Enterprise‘s corporate M&A team is headed up by Koichi Kitada, whose client base includes venture capital funds, start-ups, regulated financial institutions and international companies. The practice offers clients assistance with capital and business alliances, acquisitions, contract negotiations, and advice on exit processes. Associate Hiroto Shimauchi is also a name to note, complimented by clients for his ‘balance of quality of legal services‘.