Hiroki Wakabayashi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, primarily representing both Japanese and non-Japanese financial institutions, audit corporations and business corporations in transaction disputes, professional responsibility disputes, labor relation disputes and other types of disputes, based on his experience as a lawyer as well as a judge. In addition to these corporate related disputes, he also practices in the areas of inheritance and domestic relations.

Hideyuki Sakai is an of counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and one of Japan's leading authorities in insolvency and financial restructuring. Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he was managing partner of Bingham Sakai Mimura Aizawa, the joint enterprise established between Sakai & Mimura, which he founded in 1995, and a leading US law firm. Mr. Sakai focuses on bankruptcy, workouts, civil rehabilitation and other proceedings involving insolvency procedures. He frequently represents financial institutions and large creditor groups in complex debt restructurings and international insolvency matters. He has also served as court-appointed trustee in high-profile cases and as mediator in out-of-court ADR proceedings. Additionally, he has extensive experience in cross-border M&A, complex commercial litigation and crisis management.

Len Matsunaga is an American lawyer and a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. Mr. Matsunaga advises on cross-border mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and business restructurings, as well as business and finance transactions involving Japanese and Asian corporations. He has extensive experience in the cross-border representation of businesses on planning, financing and operational matters. Mr. Matsunaga also provides counseling on corporate governance and dispute resolution matters as well as on sales, distributorship, licensing, intellectual property, manufacturing and technology transfer arrangements, and equipment, aircraft and railcar leasing transactions. Prior to joining our firm in 2015, Mr. Matsunaga was a partner at a prominent US international law firm in that firm's New York City and Tokyo offices. He has practiced for over 20 years in New York City and over 10 years in Tokyo.

Tatsu Katayama is a partner whose areas of expertise are international banking, finance and securities matters on behalf of foreign clients. Mr. Katayama has been individually named as a leading lawyer in Japan in banking and finance and capital markets matters as well as real estate transactions in legal periodicals such as Chambers International and Euromoney. He often works together with overseas legal counsel on these matters and is well accustomed to meeting the needs of overseas clients as well as foreign-subsidiary domestic clients. Mr. Katayama served as the international director of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. He has expertise in cross border legal practices, anti-money laundering and other international aspects of bar issues.

Mr. Nakamachi is a fully bilingual and bicultural attorney and possesses over 30 years of solid experience as a practicing lawyer in the United States and Japan. He has the rare distinction among Japanese lawyers of having served as a partner at top-tier law firms in both of the two countries. He has special expertise in intellectual property/technology transactions for technology-driven clients, ranging from young start-ups to fully-matured global enterprises. Aki represents clients operating in a wide range of industries, including software, Internet, e-commerce, computer gaming, computer equipment, telecommunications, automobile, semiconductor, pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices. With over 10 years of work experience at first-tier national U.S. law firms across the United States, Aki has acquired exceptionally deep and practical knowledge of not only the laws but also the "business culture" of both the United States and Japan, and utilizes his expertise to assist clients in achieving successful outcomes in cross-border commercial transactions and dispute resolution matters.

Yasufumi Shiroyama is a partner who heads all aspects of the firm's intellectual property group practice, including: ・Drafting and arguing complaints, motions, answers and other pleadings for patent, trademark, copyright and know-how infringement litigation in district and appellate courts in Japan, on behalf of both Japanese and foreign companies; ・Drafting and arguing complaints, motions, answers and other pleadings for litigation arising in relation to technology transfer agreements, compensation for employee's invention, and allegedly defective products, etc. in district and appellate courts in Japan, on behalf of both Japanese and foreign companies; ・Drafting and negotiating various technology transfer agreements on behalf of both Japanese and foreign companies; ・Managing written discovery in cooperation with U.S. counsel for a Japanese client in patent license related litigation in U.S. federal court; ・Managing appellate litigation matters seeking nullification of decisions of the Japanese Patent Office; ・Drafting and arguing complaints, motions, answers and other pleadings in invalidation trial and opposition procedures before the Japanese Patent Office; and ・Advising on regulatory matters for pharmaceutical products, medical devices, chemical products, and personal data etc.

Kenichi Masuda has represented many local and foreign clients in a broad spectrum of businesses and industries. He has extensive experience in advising foreign clients and is familiar with cross-border issues. In particular, he regularly advises clients on mergers and acquisitions of listed and unlisted businesses (including, but not limited to, share acquisitions and divestments and business acquisitions and divestments for foreign clients where the target is a Japanese company or business), joint ventures and other cross-border investments, and corporate restructurings. His scope of experience also includes assisting and representing venture companies in various aspects including start-up, equity finance and initial public offerings, as well as establishing venture capital or other private equity funds, advising venture or other private equity funds on investments in Japanese businesses including high-tech businesses as well as distressed companies. He regularly provides legal services on employment and labor union relations (including representation of client companies at the court and other dispute resolution forum), real property transactions, intellectual property issues, general corporate matters (including corporate governance and compliance issues for listed companies) and commercial matters. Mr. Masuda served as a Committee Member for two committees organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for the purpose of stimulating venture business and investments into the venture business in Japan: the Committee for Improving the Business Environment for Private Equity Finance in Japan in 2000, which developed proposals for revisions to the Japanese corporate law, and the Committee for Examining Desirable Disclosure Systems of the Venture Business in Japan in 2001, which developed proposals for revisions to the Japanese Securities Exchange Law. Mr. Masuda also taught M&A as an adjunct lecturer at the Graduate School for Law and Politics of The University of Tokyo (2011-2013, 2014-2016).

Masaakira Kitazawa is an of counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and specializes in banking, securities, general corporate and commercial law. He advises domestic and foreign clients on financial regulatory matters, including corporate governance and compliance as well as transactional work, acquisition and restructuring of corporate group entities, M&A, tender offers, private equity investments and securitization. Mr. Kitazawa was also involved in many public offerings, including IPOs and listings on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Among others, his projects and transactions include the following: Acting as chief legal advisor to a temporarily nationalized Japanese bank, which was subsequently privatized; providing ongoing advice to the subsequent entity in connection with all aspects of its business, including government relations, banking, commercial transactions, acquisitions and general advice to management. Acting as chief legal advisor to a major Japanese bank targeted by Japan’s first hostile (later non-hostile) tender offer initiated by a Japanese financial group. Advising a UK investment bank following its failure to abide by regulations in connection with Asian futures transactions. The work involved intense negotiations with Japanese financial authorities, the stock exchange and courts. Advising a major US financial institution on all aspects of its operations in Japan, including its consumer finance subsidiaries, acquisitions of other companies and issues related to compliance with stringent Japanese regulatory requirements. Advising a major UK based venture capital and private entity in connection with its establishment and subsequent investment activities in Japan. Securitization of real property and other assets owned by solvent and insolvent insurance companies on behalf of funds managed and administered by a major US investment bank. Advising the UK Government, issuers and/or underwriters on secondary offerings in privatization initiatives undertaken with respect to the electricity, gas and water sectors in the UK.

Hideto Ishida is an of counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and counsels a variety of domestic and foreign multinational companies in Japanese anti-trust and competition matters, including those relating to cartels, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, distribution agreements, license agreements and other cooperation agreements. He also represents many companies involved in investigations before the Japan Fair Trade Commission and other foreign competition authorities for price cartels, bid rigging and similar serious alleged violations such as vitamin, graphite electrode, GIS, marine hose, air fare, LCD, Auto parts, Maritime, Libor/Tibor FX international and certain Bond international cartels. He served for seven years as the first attorney appointed as a special investigator with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission and thus has a keen sense of the actual and practical application of antitrust and distribution regulations to companies doing business in Japan.

Mr. Aoi Inoue is a partner and the Head of the International Arbitration practice at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune. He specializes in international arbitration and litigation. He represents clients in a wide range of business disputes, including joint venture, distributorship, licensing, franchising, construction projects, complex financial products, labor & employment and product liability. He has acted as counsel in a number of international arbitrations under various rules including the ICC, AAA-ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, JCAA, VIAC and UNCITRAL. He also serves as arbitrator and has been appointed to the panel of arbitrators of the JCAA, KCAB INTERNATIONAL and Japan Sports Arbitration Agency (JSAA). He has been recognized as a leading arbitration lawyer in Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500: Asia Pacific, Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific. Mr. Inoue also acts for overseas clients seeking to expand into Japan through international franchising. His support includes structuring, negotiating and drafting relevant documents such as international direct franchise agreements, international master franchise agreements and joint venture agreements. He also assists Japanese clients seeking to expand into foreign countries through international franchising. Mr. Inoue has been nominated for inclusion in the list of recognized franchise lawyers of the Who's Who Legal: Franchise.

Takashi Akahane is a partner, whose practice includes Project Finance, Private Finance Initiatives and various financial transactions. Mr. Akahane also advises various Japanese ministries, municipalities, and multinationals regarding PPP (public private partnership) and social and economic infrastructure projects.

Eiichiro Nakatani is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and advises and assists various domestic and cross border contracts and transactions, with an emphasis on international taxation matters. Ranked as the leading global tax lawyer by the Tax Directors Handbook for many years. Ranked in Band 1 of the Leading Individuals, Tax, Japan of "Chambers Asia" for many years.

Koji Fujita is a partner specializes in tax and tax related matters on cross-border transactions.

Hiroaki Takahashi is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and has been engaged in the broad areas of structured finance including securitization of various assets, real estate investment, project finance and PPP/PFI. In addition, he has handled numerous finances, M&As and joint ventures relating to development of resources and energy in and outside Japan.

Kazuaki Nagai is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and has been principally involved in various finance matters such as M&A Finance, Mezzanine Finance, structured finance including securitization and PFI (private finance initiatives). Mr. Nagai also has experience in various fund matters including PE funds and corporate rehabilitation funds, bankruptcy related matters including business rehabilitation and filing of petition for bankruptcy related proceedings, and M&A matters such as reorganization including business transfer and mergers, and subscription and acquisitions of equities including classified shares, and other corporate financial transactions, and general commercial transactions. Mr. Nagai is further engaged in finance matters in relation to energy and natural resources.

Tetsuya Itoh is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune with more than 10 years of experience involved principally in the fields of financial, commercial and corporate transactions with coverage of regulatory affairs. Mr. Itoh has represented lenders, arrangers, agents, trustees, equity investors, originators and other related parties in a number of asset transactions including REITs, real estate funds and construction finance, and additionally has experience in corporate acquisitions including those made in the course of insolvency proceedings.

Hironori Shibata is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and is engaged principally in the fields of general corporate matters, international finance and cross-border M&A transactions, with an emphasis on international capital market, public offering and other transactions involving restructuring of financial business.

Yoshikazu Iwase joined Anderson Mori & Tomotsune after working with an intellectual property firm in Tokyo for three years. His litigation experience involves a number of patent infringement trials and revocation suits against the trial decisions of the Japanese Patent Office concerning patentability/validity of patents over various technologies. He has also been involved with a wide range of trademark/trade dress and copyright infringement suits, licensing and IP assets transfer transactions, and dispute resolution. Mr. Iwase has provided a wide range of advice regarding U.S. patent infringement issues in Japan. His experience also includes drafting and negotiating licensing, patent and various intellectual property transfer agreements, transactions and due diligence of intellectual property in the course of M&A deals.

Yusuke Nakano is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, with broad experience in the areas of antitrust, business dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions, and intellectual property. In the antitrust area, he has particularly broad experience in cartel investigation and merger control, including international ones. Further, Mr. Nakano has assisted many Japanese companies and individuals involved in antitrust cases in foreign jurisdictions, in close cooperation with co-counsel in those jurisdictions. He has also represented various companies in administrative, civil and criminal litigation, mass and complex litigation, innovative mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and licensing arrangements. In addition to his professional experience at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, Mr. Nakano worked for the New York law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, as a foreign intern (2001 to 2002).

Reiji Takahashi specializes in financial transaction, in particular, project finance and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI). Mr. Takahashi represented national government, local governments, private companies or banks in many PFI projects including all prison projects initiated by Ministry of Justice, Haneda air terminal project, which is the largest PFI project in Japan, satellite project, etc. Mr. Takahashi also has extensive experience advising on renewable energy projects, IPP project, resource development and water sector business.