Companies often respond to the rapidly-changing business environment by pursuing acquisitions, mergers and company splits, as well as by establishing strategic business alliances or forming joint ventures.  Where prior notification to the JFTC is required for these transactions, AMT provides practical support to our clients to enable the most efficient process for organizing, requesting and collecting the necessary information for timely submission to the JFTC.  For transactions where the JFTC conducts substantive investigations, we assist our clients in responding in a quick and efficient manner to requests for information, or in helping to formulate and negotiate viable remedies.

In merger control cases with an international element, we work flexibly to support our clients in a consistent and efficient manner through our long established and trusted network of overseas law firms as well as by utilizing our own international offices to the fullest extent.

We are regularly asked to assess the risk of cease-and-desist orders being imposed by the JFTC and engage early with the case team through prior consultation wherever necessary.  As part of that process, we often draft and submit opinions to the JFTC on proposed business combinations in order to flush out any potential issues at an early stage.

Some of our team’s transactions in this area include our representation of:

• A U.S. venture fund in its acquisition of shares in a Japanese joint venture in the life sciences and chemical industries;
• A multinational oil company in its Japanese subsidiary's acquisition of an oil business from a Japanese company;
• A joint venture project between a leading Japanese auto parts manufacturer and a German car parts manufacturer; and
• A joint venture project between two large Japanese manufacturers of electronic components.