Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP has established a real estate practice with the February 2025 arrivals of Gerald Fujii and Naoki Ueyama.

Baker McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise)‘s practice is well-equipped to handle transactional and advisory work across all asset types, including data centres, logistics and hospitality. Seishi Ikeda and Ean Mac Pherson jointly oversee the team; Ikeda has considerable experience advising on inbound real estate acquisitions and investments, while project developers and contractors rely on Mac Pherson for his expertise in construction mandates involving renewable energy, data centre, and conventional power projects. Maki Kawamura specialises in real estate transactions and regularly handles acquisitions and dispositions. May 2024 joiner Paul Davis, and Kosuke Suzuki, are also integral members of the team.

Clifford Chance (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo)‘s well-established provides an offering that encompasses advising its roster of clients on asset acquisitions, divestments and developments. With a particular focus on investments, practice head Yoshiaki Shimizu serves a broad clientele, from financial institutions to real estate and sovereign funds; Shimizu is noted for his ‘outstanding professional expertise and industry insights’. Leng-Fong Lai handles matters for both sponsors and financiers, with considerable knowledge of senior mezzanine and hybrid financing structures, in particular. Another noteworthy team member is Eiichi Kanda who assists with major land sales and purchases.

Greenberg Traurig Tokyo Law Offices‘ offering has particular strengths advising on inbound and outbound investments across the hospitality and data centre sectors. Another key feature of the firm’s offering is its real estate funds expertise, which spans formation work as well as regulatory and compliance issues. Joel Rothstein spearheads the practice and boasts considerable experience structuring major cross-border transactions and investments. Mori Inada counts private equity funds, asset managers and financial institutions as clients, assisting them in relation to all major asset classes. Yuko Ino primarily advises investors; Mizuho Yamada focuses on structured finance,non-performing loans, and fund formation; while Ayako Kawano‘s workload features bankruptcy-related M&A and REIT cases.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP's practice harnesses expertise in the breath of construction matters, with a practice dedicated to disputes and arbitration arising out of large-scale construction and infrastructure projects. Disputes specialist Ben Jolley, who leads the practice, represents clients across a range of sectors including construction, infrastructure, energy and manufacturing. Elaine Wong has well-established capabilities handling international arbitration, litigation and investigations. Andrew Blacoe continues to advise on key development projects, while David Gilmore returned to the Tokyo office in January 2025 and focuses on international dispute resolution.

Morrison Foerster‘s practice is well-versed in fund formation, project acquisition and financing, and project and portfolio sales, as well as being a go-to for both investors and operators involved in data centre matters. Theodore Seltzer leads the team alongside Masahiro Shiga; Seltzer regularly represents global investors in cross-border equity and debt financings, while Shiga handles real estate finance and REIT-related mandates. Joshua Isenberg has a broad transactional focus, advising on both inbound and outbound deals, including senior and mezzanine financing. Junichi Kurokoshi has expertise in structured finance transactions involving commercial and residential properties in Japan, while Narutake Takasu advises on acquisition, sale and leasing transactions.

DLA Piper Tokyo Partnership Gaikokuho Kyodojigyo Horitsu Jimusho‘s group is noted for its capabilities across acquisitions, investments, securitisation development and construction matters, supporting Japanese and foreign companies therein. Mitsuharu Kataoka and Ed Sheremeta share leadership over the team; Kataoka has experience advising international hotel brands in particular, and is well-versed in disposition and regulatory matters, while Sherementa has significant experience advising on real estate financings.

‘Well-versed in the Japanese real estate market’, White & Case LLP - White & Case Law Offices (Registered Association)’s team advises clients on both inbound and outbound transactions. Practice head Jun Usami harnesses experience advising sovereign wealth funds and asset managers on investments, acquisitions and dispositions. Investment funds specialist Eriko Sakata regularly advises clients on establishing real estate investment funds, while Sayako Shiraki is adept at handling cross-border real estate fund structuring and regulatory issues.

Japanese investors, including investment funds, REITs, banks and asset managers, all feature in Withers Japan‘s team’s client portfolio. The team frequently collaborates with the firm’s international offices, including the US. Practice head Toshihiko Tsuchiya focuses on securitisation matters involving the use of the TMK structures. Key name in the team Akinari Nakano advises Japanese and international clients on real estate acquisition and financing matters. Gerald Fujii and Naoki Ueyama both left the practice in February 2025.