The team at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune has a workload which ranges from advising on merger control filings to representing clients involved in cartel investigations. The group routinely works with industries like manufacturing, energy, tech and aviation. Vassili Moussis is notable for his work advising on EU and international competition law, with a focus on international cartel matters and inbound and outbound merger control cases. Yusuke Nakano has expertise in both international merger control and cartel investigations. A standout team member is Etsuko Hara who has broad expertise in antitrust and competition law; Hara’s work includes advising on competition compliance, merger controls and international cartels and leniency. Another name to watch is Takeshi Suzuki who specialises in international as well as domestic competition matters.

The group at Mori Hamada offers advice on merger control issues in addition to handling matters relating to all facets of antitrust and competition, including cartel, abuse of dominance, and daily counselling issues. For both domestic and international clients, the team is frequently seen working on complex and large-scale cross-border merger filings as well as international investigations. The team is led by Hideki Utsunomiya who is known for advising the government on a range of policy matters, and Kenji Ito who has vast experience in government investigation, private action, and antitrust counselling. Tomoya Fujita has a niche focus on the merger control aspects of antitrust and competition law. A key name to note is Saori Takekoshi for her work on both domestic and international merger filings and investigations.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu's offering provides advice on competition and antitrust issues as well as those relating to corporate governance and employment that arise from antitrust matters. Yoshitoshi Imoto leads the team and handles matters regarding merger legislation, government antitrust investigations, and compliance for clients both domestically and internationally. For advice on complex cartel investigations or the JFTC merger review, Kaoru Hattori is a key name; Hattori frequently offers competition advice on issues pertaining to contractual alliances, routine business transactions, and areas where competition and IP intersect. Ryohei Tanaka has extensive experience in competition cases that arise during M&A transactions, such as non-compete, information firewalls and gun-jumping.

The team at Nishimura & Asahi has noteworthy expertise handling merger control matters in the energy, steel, automotive, and pharma sectors. It is also well-versed in negotiating with the JFTC and filing leniency applications in cartel and bid-rigging investigations. The team is led by Kozo Kawai who specialises in regulatory investigations, major disputes, and international trade issues; Kawai’s experience also encompasses advising on accusations of cartel and unilateral conduct, breaches of merger rules, and noncompliance with both domestic and international competition regulations. Ryutaro Nakayama focuses on merger regulations in corporate and M&A contexts. Madoka Shimada has expertise advising clients on the range of competition matters relating to international and domestic cartels, JFTC investigations, leniency applications, and compliance with antitrust laws. Junko Wakabayashi is noteworthy also.

Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners‘ offering advises its clients undergoing investigation by domestic and international competition authorities. The team is jointly led by Tetsuya Nagasawa who has extensive experience in government investigations, competition and consumer protection litigation, counselling and compliance; Takashi Ishii who advises on several administrative and criminal investigations by the JFTC regarding cartels and the abuse of superior bargaining positions; and Kagenori Sako whose broad practice includes cartel defence, private antitrust litigation, and merger clearance matters. Another key name is Mizuki Kanno who has expertise in competition law, Japanese Advertising Law and litigation, both internationally and domestically.

The team at TMI Associates is well-versed in handling antitrust and competition matters. Harumichi Uchida's primary focus areas are corporate and M&A, competition and dispute resolution. Yohsuke Higuchi advises on global cartel cases and merger control laws, Koichiro Hanamoto provides advice on the Japan Fair Trade Commission, compliance issues and business planning and Yukio Kaiju is experienced representing companies on merger control regulations. Daigo Fujii advises on obtaining rapid JFTC clearances, and Kentaro Toda has worked on cases involving multiple jurisdictions to advise on international cartel matters and merger control regulations. The six co-head the team alongside Akihiro Kudo.

Atsumi & Sakai‘s team has experience advising on share acquisitions, business transfers, company splits, business alliances and joint ventures. The team is headed by Saori Hanada, who brings her expertise in cartel cases, including internal audits, private enforcement and leniency applications. For competition matters, Setsuko Yufu is a key name to note; Yufu brings expertise in vertical and horizontal restraints and dominant position issues. Masayuki Matsuura often advises on merger control in cross-border M&A matters, and on international cartel investigations. Tatsuo Yamashima has extensive experience working with foreign competition authorities on cartel investigations involving liquid crystal displays and cathode ray tubes, as well as advising clients on JFTC matters. The team further strengthened its competition offering with the hire of Shuichi Sugahisa, Junya Ae and Michio Suzuki in December 2025, all of whom joined from Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) in December 2025.

City-Yuwa Partners' practice handles numerous cases related to JTFC investigations, including unilateral conduct and alleged violations of the Subcontract Act and the Unjustifiable Premiums Act. The team is led by Teruhisa Ishii who advises both domestic and foreign clients on the regulation of IT giants and the misuse of their advantageous bargaining position. Alongside Ishii is Yoshihiro Sakano who brings expertise in advising clients on bid-rigging, distribution regulations and complex mergers. Hiroaki Matsunaga has notable experience advising on the Antimonopoly Act and related JFTC investigations.

Iwata Godo‘s team has expertise in domestic bid-rigging cases, dawn raids, and cross-border cartel investigations. Co-leading the team, Teppei Ishikawa provides expert guidance on government investigations, merger control notifications, business alliances, and a broad range of legal matters related to corporate activities. Meanwhile, Kenichi Okushi frequently handles cases involving violations of the Antimonopoly Act. Taiki Matsuda is a key name to note for his expertise in antitrust and contract law, providing strategic counsel to clients cross various industries.

The team at Miura & Partners handles both domestic and international antitrust and competition matters, including complex merger filings with the JFTC. Practice head Masayuki Atsumi brings extensive experience across a broad spectrum of cases, advising on the Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations and the Subcontract Act regulations. Haruka Otaki stands out for her expertise in digital market regulations and global merger filings, having successfully handled numerous JFTC merger clearances in high-profile international transactional contexts.