Japan

I. Introduction The digitalization of civil litigation procedures in Japan began with the introduction of teleconferencing and video conferencing systems under the 2010 amendment of the Code of Civil Procedure. The use of teleconference had become widely adopted, enabling parties or their representatives located far from the courts to participate in preparatory proceedings to arrange issues and evidence. However, many aspects of civil litigation in Japan have yet to be modernized. For instance: ･　as a general requirement, paper documents must be lodged in order to file a lawsuit; ･　parties and their representatives are required to physically attend dates for oral arguments; and ･　court records are kept in paper form and people who wish to inspect the records are required to visit the courthouse. These days, where information and communication technology has advanced significantly, the digitalization of civil litigation is being promoted to make civil litigation more efficient and accessible to parties. This article provides an overview of the recent changes relating to the digitalization of civil litigation in Japan that are being introduced through the enactment of further amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure. View original article here. Author: Hiroki Tajima, Partner  

Introduction Crowdfunding is a method of raising money to finance projects and businesses that enables fundraisers to collect money from a large number of people via online platforms. There exists a variety of crowdfunding platforms serving industries like technology, the arts, and social causes, as well as real estate. Although there are several types of crowdfunding for investment in the real estate sector (e.g., donation, lending and others), this article focuses on regulations governing equity-based real estate crowdfunding in Japan, focusing on the Act on Specified Joint Real Estate Venture. View original article here. Author: Takehito Matsumoto, Partner

On February 20, 2025, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu (NO&T) hosted a reception in Shanghai to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of its Shanghai office. The event was attended by many distinguished guests, including Mr. Masaru Okada, Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai, Mr. Wanquan Shao, President of the Shanghai Bar Association, as well as representatives from both Japanese and Chinese authorities and companies. Lawyers and advisors from our Shanghai office together with lawyers from our Tokyo office and other offices and locations in Asia also attended the event. Since its establishment in November 2014, our Shanghai office has steadily expanded its capabilities, providing Japanese companies in China with legal services tailored to their needs in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, dispute resolution, compliance, and finance. Concurrently, we have also been providing legal services to Chinese companies in connection with their investments in Japan and cross-border transactions and business relationships with Japanese companies. As we express our gratitude for your support over the past decade, we remain committed to enhancing our legal services in the future by leveraging our firm’s expertise across practice groups in our Tokyo office and other offices and locations, as well as by collaborating with local counsel and advisors in various fields. We aim to assist Japanese and Chinese companies navigate the increasingly complex international business environment and capitalize on significant opportunities presented by the evolving Japan-China business relationship. View original article here.

On May 21, 2025, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu (NO&T) hosted a reception in Tokyo to celebrate the opening of our London office and NO&T Europe Week. The reception was attended by many distinguished guests, including representatives from companies engaged in business activities across Europe. NO&T was represented by lawyers from our Tokyo office, including lawyers from our European Practice Group. In connection with the reception, we also held NO&T Europe Week, a three-day program featuring seminars with presentations by members of our European Practice Group, including Kiyoshi Honda, who will serve as head of our London office, and the authors of “Business EU Law”. The seminars provided a comprehensive overview of a wide range of legal considerations for Japanese companies operating in Europe, including regulations related to the green and sustainability sectors in Europe, recent developments in M&A practice, AI and digital regulations, and data protection regulations. Last year, NO&T decided to establish Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu UK Ltd. in London, marking our first permanent presence in Europe. Our London office will commence operations upon completion of the administrative procedures currently underway. In collaboration with our European Practice Group, our London office will provide legal services directly and locally, and support our clients’ diverse business activities with responsive and well-informed legal solutions. View original article here.