Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP’s investment management practice in Tokyo remains at the forefront of the funds space in Japan, with asset managers, investment trust managers, and security companies benefiting from the team’s broad expertise, which covers formation, investment, transactional, regulatory, and compliance matters. Carol Tsuchida is regularly instructed by leading institutional and sovereign wealth fund investors to advise on infrastructure, real estate, hedge and private equity funds. She leads the practice alongside financial regulations specialist Tomoko Fuminaga, who assists banking, securities, and asset management clients with their operations in the funds space. Hirotaka Higashioka is also a key contact in the team.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP’s Asia private funds practice works on major fund formation and fund transaction mandates across the APAC region and in relation to a broad range of asset classes, including private equity, real estate, credit infrastructure, energy, and venture capital funds as well as alternative investment products. The team is noted particularly for its experience handling Japan-focused buyout fundraisings. With over thirty years of experience in Japan and expertise in Japan-focused fundraisings, David Azcue leads the group alongside Adam Furber and Michael Ceulen, both of whom offer varied Japan-focused and pan-Asia funds experience from their base in Hong Kong.

Clifford Chance (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo)’s funds practice in Tokyo has a strong reputation for advising major Japanese institutional fund investors and managers on a broad range of matters, including hedge, private equity, and real estate funds as well as alternative investment products. Leng-Fong Lai, who focuses on real estate and infrastructure investments, leads the team alongside Natsuko Sugihara, who advises Japanese and international clients in connection with a variety of funds. Yoshiaki Shimizu is noted for his expertise in private real estate funds.

White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association) has been strengthened by the arrival of investment funds specialist Eriko Sakata, who brings more than 20 years of experience advising global asset managers and blue-chip corporations in relation to large-cap investment platforms, and Sayako Shiraki, who regularly advises fund managers, fund service providers, investors, and financial institutions. The two partners joined the firm from Linklaters in May 2024. Other individuals to note in the team include Hiroto Nakayama, who specialises in financial regulatory issues, and Mao Muraguchi, who counts sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors as clients.

King & Spalding‘s Tokyo office works closely with the firm’s international network to advise institutional clients and fund sponsors operating across all asset classes. Practice head Mark Davies has over 25 years of experience handling fund formation and asset management matters in Japan.