Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise)‘s ‘comprehensive offering’ is well-equipped to advise Japanese trading houses on merger control matters, with international cartel investigations also forming a key component of its workload. At the helm of the practice is Akira Inoue, who has notable capabilities in handling cartel investigation work. Hiroaki Nagahashi, who was promoted to partner in July 2024, is a specialist in cartels. Nagahasi regularly assists clients with global cartel investigations involving multiple jurisdictions. Other key practitioners in the team include Ryo Yamaguchi, who possesses a strong grasp of merger control and foreign investment regulations.
Antitrust and competition: International firms and joint ventures in Japan
Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise)
Responsables de la pratique:
Akira Inoue
Autres avocats clés:
Hiroaki Nagahashi; Ryo Yamaguchi
Les références
‘The firm has lawyers who have outstanding knowledge, experience and skills.’
‘Deeply understood our stance and practice in business and compliance, and gave us advice based on such understanding.’
‘Junya Ae stands out.’
Principaux clients
Sumitomo Corporation
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
FUJIFILM Corporation
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
AGC Inc.
Accenture PLC
Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
Hitachi Ltd.
Sojitz Corporation
Toyota Tsusho Corporation
Nidec Corporation
Yazaki Corporation
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Japan Industrial Partners Corporation
Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc.
Japan Bearing Industry Association
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT)
NHK Spring Co. Ltd.
Sanden Corporation
KYB Corporation
JERA Co., Inc.
Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
Bridgestone Corporation
Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
Nippon Steel Corporation
Panasonic Holdings Corporation
Daicel Corporation
Sony Group Corporation
Principaux dossiers
- Represented and advised NHK Spring and its subsidiaries in relation to the global cartel investigations for the disk suspension used for hard disk drive in the U.S., Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Brazil and Taiwan.
- Advising a Japanese conglomerates and chemical manufacturers in relation to merger control/foreign investment review (FIR)/foreign subsidy regulations (FSR) aspects of its acquisition of urethane systems business of LANXESS Deutschland GmbH.
- Represent and advise Sumitomo Corporation/Sojitz Corporation/Toyota Tsusho Corporation in relation to merger control aspects of Sumitomo/Sojitz’s important M&A/investment projects.
Morrison Foerster
Morrison Foerster‘s Tokyo-based team has a broad workload which covers merger reviews, as well as cartel, monopolisation, and unfair trade practices-related matters. The group has a noteworthy client roster which features domestic and international clients from a wide range of industries, from tech and auto, to pharma and logistics. Practice head Tomohiko Kimura is a seasoned practitioner who is well-known for his capabilities defending clients on allegations of private monopolisation and unfair trade practices. Chie Yakura handles contentious competition mandates, while Takahiro Nonaka assists Japanese clients with operations in the US on US antitrust issues.
Responsables de la pratique:
Tomohiko Kimura
Autres avocats clés:
Chie Yakura; Takahiro Nonaka; Tomoki Kodama; Andrew Meyer
Les références
‘Mofo’s antitrust team is capable of giving advice in a way that is useful for our business to make a judgment, taking into account the actual risks based on the most recent regulatory environment. They are keen to understand fully how our businesses work before giving any legal advice, and that helps the legal advice to be accurate and trustworthy. ’
‘Tomohiko Kimura and Tomoki Kodama are two points of contact for antitrust law-related matters and are outstanding performers who can provide detailed analysis with deep knowledge of the businesses as well as the regulatory risk environment today. ’
‘The team is highly international, with members from the US, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other countries. This diverse composition allows clients to feel a strong sense of cultural identification. At the same time, the team is very pragmatic, prioritising problem-solving rather than just highlighting legal issues.’
Principaux clients
Renesas Electronics Corp.
Toshiba Corporation
Fujitsu
Santen Pharmaceutical
SoftBank
ON Semiconductor
Principaux dossiers
Jones Day
Jones Day‘s Tokyo team draws on its global network and advises domestic and international clients on cross-border as well as domestic antitrust matters, including those relating to acquisition and license agreement-related issues. Practice head Hiromitsu Miyakawa is active in advising on government investigations, mergers and joint ventures, and routinely defends clients against antitrust claims. Chizuru Yoshida assists with the full gamut of antitrust instructions, advising clients in the manufacturing and automotive sectors in particular.
Responsables de la pratique:
Hiromitsu Miyakawa
Autres avocats clés:
Chizuru Yoshida
Les références
‘This antitrust team stands out for its ability to combine deep regulatory knowledge with a highly commercial approach.’
‘Unlike many competitors who focus heavily on legal theory, the team is known for delivering clear, actionable guidance that helps clients manage risk while achieving business objectives.’
‘Clients particularly value their ability to anticipate regulatory trends and provide proactive strategies rather than reactive fixes.’
Principaux dossiers
- Advising a global tire manufacturer in the context of the European Commission’s investigation into the tire industry, launched in January 2024, on allegations that tire manufacturers may have violated EU antitrust rules in the market of new replacement tires for passenger cars, vans, trucks and buses sold in Europe.
- Advised Swedish professional appliance manufacturing company operating globally on its acquisition of Tosei Corporation for approximately SEK 1.65bn (JPY 23.25bn) on a cash and debt-free basis.
White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association)
White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association)‘s competition team in Tokyo is well-versed in advising on significant cross-border antitrust law issues related to digital platforms. Toshio Dokei leads the team and represents Japanese and international clients on merger control cases, and has longstanding experience. Takako Onoki is a key individual in the team, with expertise in global merger notifications and antitrust investigations.
Responsables de la pratique:
Toshio Dokei
Autres avocats clés:
Takako Onoki
Les références
‘Due to the limited number of players and the unique nature of the pharmaceutical market and distribution, there are only a limited number of experts with specialised knowledge of the market and distribution. In such a situation, the presence of legal experts who are well-versed in antitrust law related to the pharmaceutical market and distribution is a major advantage and unique strength of White＆Case LLP.’
‘We feel that it is extremely beneficial for us to have legal experts who are well-versed in antitrust law-related matters in the medical pharmaceutical market and distribution provide us with timely information on antitrust law-related points to keep in mind when distributing pharmaceuticals.’
‘This team consists of lawyers who have actual experience in dealing with investigations by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) regarding unfair trade practices, responding to such investigations, and handling administrative litigation.’
Principaux dossiers
Clifford Chance (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo)
Clifford Chance (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo)‘s team draws on its global capabilities to advise on the competition aspects of mergers and joint ventures. The team also regularly assists with regulatory and policy-related issues. Masafumi Shikakura heads up the team and is well-regarded for his ‘extensive knowledge of competition law’. Regulatory expert Shunsuke Nagae is also a name to note.
Responsables de la pratique:
Masafumi Shikakura
Autres avocats clés:
Shunsuke Nagae
Les références
‘Detailed research on competition law across various countries is regularly updated on a dedicated website, allowing us to access relevant reports at any time.’
‘Not only Japanese attorneys but also attorneys from Singapore and other jurisdictions provide optimal advice for our company through a one-stop service when needed.’
‘Masafumi Shikakura possesses extensive knowledge of competition law.’
Principaux clients
Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure Co. Ltd.
CVC Capital Partners
Cisco Systems
Leonardo S.p.A.
Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd.
Misumi Group Inc.
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. on its acquisition of 100% membership rights of LBC Tank Terminals Group Holding Netherlands Coöperatief U.A.
- Advised Mitsui & Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of 50% of the shares in ITC Rubis Terminal Antwerp NV, a European tank terminal operator, a 50/50 joint venture between Mitsui & Co. Group and Tepsa.
- Advised Leonardo S.p.A. on the formation of a strategic joint venture with BAE Systems and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd marking a significant milestone in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).