Event information
The Legal 500 is delighted to formally announce its fourth annual GC Summit Japan event, taking place on 3rd October 2024 in Tokyo.
The Legal 500’s GC Summit Japan 2024 invites the most esteemed in-house counsel from the country’s most prolific companies, and leading practitioners to discuss their changing roles as in-house leaders and the challenges, issues and opportunities they are set to face in 2024 and beyond.
This includes understanding and overcoming data privacy challenges, managing international disputes, competition & brand protection, adapting to a changing M&A landscape, the rise of legal tech, the growing importance of ESG and overcoming labour and employment issues.
Between comprehensive panel discussions, presentations and the opportunity to meet and engage with fellow in-house counsel, GC Summit Japan promises to be a practical, forward-looking event bringing together the region’s top legal minds.
Agenda
8.30am – 9.00am Breakfast and registration
9.00am – 9.10am Opening remarks
Highly esteemed general counsel Kyoko Mizuguchi of Fujitsu will provide the keynote address for this year’s GC Summit. Her opening remarks will touch on the growing responsibilities of the modern corporate counsel and the issues that have come along with this. Given her company’s status as being at the forefront of the tech revolution she will also discuss how in-house legal teams can best make use of the technology currently available.
- Joe Boswell, global editor – powerlist series, Legal 500
- Kyoko Mizuguchi, corporate executive officer, EVP and general counsel, Fujitsu
9.10am – 10.00am Competition Law Insights in 2024
Whatever the stage of your career, this discussion promises to offer crucial perspectives and practical guidance for navigating the competition law terrain in 2024 and beyond. A hugely experienced panel will explore the evolving landscape of competition law and its implications for businesses and regulators worldwide, delving into recent developments, key enforcement trends, and significant case studies.
- Tsuyoshi Ikeda, founding partner, Ikeda & Someya
- Aya Yasui, associate, Ikeda & Someya
- Naoko Teranishi, director for planning office, economic affairs bureau, The Japan Fair Trade Commission
- Naokuni Kuwagata, corporate officer, country legal head and head of legal international unit Japan, Novartis Pharma
- Keiko Uchida, head of legal & compliance, Roche Diagnostics
10.00am – 10.50am Hot Topics in Intellectual Property
In this panel discussion experts from the in-house and private practice legal communities will discuss recent legal developments, the impact of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence on IP rights, and strategies for safeguarding innovations in an increasingly digital world. The panel will also explore best practices for managing IP portfolios, navigating international IP laws, and addressing common disputes. This session is designed to equip in-house counsel with the knowledge to effectively protect and leverage their organization’s intellectual assets.
- Eric D. Kirsch, partner, Rimon Law
- David E. Case, partner, Rimon Law
- Natsue Ishida, managing director of legal and intellectual property division, SEGA Sammy Holdings
- Nobumasa Hiroi, global general counsel, Mujin
10.50am – 11.00am Coffee break
11.00am – 11.50am The Global Whistleblowing System
The session will address challenges faced by in-house lawyers in Japan in implementing global systems that meet varying regulatory requirements across jurisdictions. Attendees will gain practical strategies for handling whistleblower reports, fostering a culture of transparency, and mitigating legal risks in their organizations. Key legal frameworks, including EU Whistleblowing Directive, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Japan’s Whistleblower Protection Act will be discussed, with the discussion focusing on compliance, confidentiality, and protecting whistleblowers from retaliation.
- Kengo Nishigaki, partner, GI&T Law Office
- Mihoko Kawamizu, general counsel, Philips
- Koh Yamaki, senior manager, compliance dept., Hitachi
- Hiroko Miyazaki, counsel, GI&T Law Office
- Patrick Forman, counsel, GI&T Law Office
- Yuji Yamamoto, senior associate, GI&T Law Office
11.50am – 12.40pm Digital Assets – Regulatory Challenges in Japan
Led by subject matter experts from City-Yuwa Partners, this panel session will explore the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding digital assets in Japan. Key topics include compliance with anti-money laundering measures, data privacy, cybersecurity, and ensuring adherence to global standards. Attendees will gain insights into managing risks, staying compliant, and effectively advising their organisations in this fast-changing digital economy.
- Kenta Ikebe, partner, City-Yuwa Partners
- Izuru Goto, of counsel, City-Yuwa Partners
12.40pm – 2.00pm Lunch
2.00pm – 2.50pm Navigating the cybercrime landscape for GCs
Cybercrime is on the rise and will increasingly become a critical risk for all companies operating in the region. GCs and legal departments are expected to play a critical role in responding to cyber incidents, including addressing the loss of key data, legal and regulatory disclosures and penalties, and reputation management.
During this session, our panellists will discuss:
- cybercrime trends;
- ransomware;
- cryptocurrency and tracing;
- security of critical infrastructure; and
- the role of GCs in preparing for and responding to cyberattacks.
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Takafumi Ochiai, senior partner, Atsumi & Sakai
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Daniel Jarrett, partner, Atsumi & Sakai
- Brian Yu, senior legal counsel, Tencent
- Mina Hoshizawa, compliance manager and legal manager in charge of consumer health, Bayer
- Andreas Höppel, chief legal officer and general counsel, Koki Group
3.00pm – 4.00pm Managing international disputes
In this session, attendees will hear from an esteemed line up of speakers, covering themes ranging from the options for resolving international disputes, issues of forum and jurisdiction, interim reliefs, common challenges and practical tips in the management of international disputes. This panel will provide valuable insights on how companies can prepare to face and mitigate the risks in potential cross-border disputes.
- Peter Harris, Partner, Clifford Chance, Tokyo
- Dominic Sharman, partner, Baker McKenzie
- Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, Legal 500
- Tomoya Hashimoto, deputy general manager – legal department, Marubeni
- Ryo Asakura, vice president and general counsel, Japan, Olympus Corporation
4.00pm – 4.25pm Coffee Break
4.25pm – 5.15pm The Changing Role of In-House Counsel
- Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, Legal 500
- Naoki Hamada, general counsel Japan, HSBC
- Fumika Ito, general counsel, SAP
- Toshimi Itakura, general manager, legal department, Sojitz
- Yuichiro Watanabe, lead counsel, Airbnb Japan
5.15pm – 5.20pm Closing remarks
- Joe Boswell, global editor – powerlist series, Legal 500
5.30pm – 6.30pm Drinks and canapes
Speakers
Tsuyoshi Ikeda, founding partner, Ikeda & Someya
Yoshi served as an investigator of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) where he participated in around 20 dawn raids; prepared the implementation of the leniency system; and investigated a case involving standard essential patents. With his success in the most cutting-edge cases of cartel, merger review, and other types of antitrust/competition cases, Yoshi has been recognized as one of the most prominent antitrust/competition law practitioners in Japan by lawyer ranking institutes such as Who’s Who Legal. In the Nikkei Corporate Legal Tax Affairs and Lawyer Survey in 2022, he was selected as “second overall” as the “Most Successful Lawyer” in 2022 in the competition/antitrust category (“third overall” chosen by companies).
Kengo Nishigaki, founder, GI&T Law Office
Kengo Nishigaki is a Japanese lawyer licensed in Japan and New York. He is the representative partner of GI&T Law Office LC in Tokyo, which he founded in 2020. Before then, he worked for Baker & McKenzie from 2000 to 2020, being a partner of the dispute resolution group for longer than 10 years. Kengo’s practice focuses on fraud investigations for Japanese and foreign listed companies, as well as matters related to compliance with anti-corruption laws including the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, UK Bribery Act and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act of Japan. Kengo also assists major Japanese and foreign-listed companies in litigations and other types of dispute resolutions such as arbitration and mediation for the healthcare and IT industry. He is one of the founding members of Anti-Bribery Committee of Japan. He graduated from Tokyo University (LLB) in 1998 and received LLM from New York University in 2004. This year, Nishigaki notably served as one of the investigation committee members relating to the Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s Benikoji matter.
Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, Legal 500
Joe Boswell has been a part of The Legal 500’s editorial team, specialising on the in-house legal community, for more than seven years. He now heads The Powerlist team, acting as chief editor for the over 40 separate editions of the GC Powerlist series which serve as The Legal 500’s flagship title celebrating the world’s top in-house counsel, as well as Global Editor for The Legal 500’s Private Practice Powerlist Series.
During the course of researching for the GC Powerlist series, Boswell has interviewed a vast number of world-renowned general counsel, chief legal officers, and legal directors about overcoming the challenges they face, their legal innovations, and how they see the general counsel role progressing in coming years. As well as this, he is a regular speaker at Legal 500 summits, roundtables, award ceremonies and other events, and often writes in-depth reports on business and legal issues.
Boswell is an alumnus of both the University of Sussex in The United Kingdom and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in The Netherlands.
Kenta Ikebe, Partner, City-Yuwa Partners
Kenta Ikebe is a Japanese lawyer admitted in both Japan and New York State, and a partner of City-Yuwa Partners. He is expertized in the areas of banking, structured finance, acquisition finance and securitization, as well as fintech and AI areas. Taking advantage of his background growing up in Europe, he has been mainly assisting foreign clients in various types of finance transactions including real estate finance, project finance, PFI/PPP as well as in fintech areas and regulations. He graduated from the University of Tokyo (LL.B.) in 2008, the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Law (J.D.) in 2010 and Columbia Law School (LL.M.) in 2018.
Naoki Hamada, general counsel Japan, HSBC
As general counsel for Japan at HSBC, Naoki Hamada takes on a wide variety of roles for the global banking giant, having ultimate responsibility for legal matters in Japan. In terms of major project work, among other key initiatives Hamada has led the local incorporation of a securities entity in Japan, the local implementation of LIBOR transition, the Japan rollout of the Hong Kong Resolutional Stay and the creation of a centralised corporate secretary position in Japan. Prior to his work with HSBC, Hamada had a highly successful period as an in-house lawyer with Merrill Lynch Japan Securities Company between 2013 and 2020, ending his time there as assistant general counsel and director. His private practice legal work was with Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, where he had many key financial players in the Japanese market as part of his client base. A keen advocate for social responsibility in the business world, Hamada is the country Leader of the D&I LGBTQ+ group at HSBC, and has organised various events furthering this cause. He is also known to be one of the key contributors to legal working groups in industry associations such as the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) and the International Bankers Association (IBA), successfully leading negotiations with regulators, exchanges and others for material regulatory issues in the financial industry.
Fumika Ito, general counsel, SAP
After serving as an attorney for Japanese Government in the House of Councilors, Fumika Ito has walked through a unique career as an in-house counsel, mainly in the muti-national and/or global companies which started from Oracle Japan. Since then she pursued legal leadership career in entities like JTB Corporation, particularly in its Global Business Unit, and Mondelēz Japan, all the experience of the term led to her current role as General Counsel of SAP Japan. In SAP Japan recently she has been involved in globally executed transformation process, and helping the teams close to her, both legal and non-legal, to adopt to the changes from multiple perspective.
Toshimi Itakura, general manager, legal department, Sojitz
Toshimi Itakura is now general manager of the Sojitz Corporation’s legal department, having developed an unparalleled understanding of the legal considerations for the seven main pillars of this vast general trading company. Within the past year, she has dealt with numerous matters, including a range of M&A, tender deals and dispute resolution in various industries and regions. She has also spearheaded the expansion of the legal department internationally, with new departments being set up in Southeast Asia. Throughout her career, she has always put human resources at the centre of successful teamwork, placing a premium on empowering and motivating the people in her legal team to achieve the best possible results.
Kyoko Mizuguchi, corporate executive officer, EVP and general counsel, Fujitsu
Kyoko Mizuguchi is the Group General Counsel (EVP, Corporate Executive Officer) of Fujitsu. She leads the Legal, IP and Internal Control (corporate governance, compliance and internal audit) function of the Fujitsu Group with approximately 600 members worldwide.
In her 20+ years career with Fujitsu, she has built a vast array of international legal and compliance experience including more than 8 years of overseas assignments in the UK, US and Australia. In 2016, she became part of the senior leadership team of Fujitsu UK as its Head of Legal and Commercial, leading a team of more than 200 highly skilled professionals. In 2018, she became the Head of Legal, Compliance and IP Unit of the Fujitsu HQ. She has largely maintained her current role since 2020, when she was appointed as Corporate Executive Officer. Her experience includes M&A and reorganization projects, large IT commercial contracts, corporate governance, complex dispute resolution and multi-regional compliance issues.
She is a NY-admitted attorney. She graduated from Tokyo University (LL.B.) and holds an LL.M degree from Northwestern University.
Yuichiro Watanabe, lead counsel, Airbnb Japan
Yuichiro Watanabe, raised in Tottori, Japan’s least populated prefecture, serves as Lead Counsel at Airbnb Japan. Since joining Airbnb in 2015, Yuichiro has expertly navigated complex regulatory challenges, contributing to APAC business and Airbnb’s 2020 IPO, and expanding his expertise across AI, antitrust, and regulatory compliance in APAC. Beyond corporate achievements, Yuichiro has played a key role in shaping Japan’s legal tech regulatory frameworks, particularly in connection with the Japanese Attorney Act.
Izuru Goto, of counsel, City-Yuwa Partners
Eric D. Kirsch, partner, Rimon Law
Eric is a partner in Rimon’s Intellectual Property and Litigation groups. Eric represents international technology companies in patent infringement lawsuits, licensing matters and patent prosecution. With a degree in electrical engineering and extensive experience in biotech, Eric works closely with a variety of companies to protect their intellectual property rights and operate freely in the U.S.
Eric’s litigation experience includes trials, claim construction hearings, summary judgment hearings, motions in limine and arguing before the Federal Circuit. As a permanent resident of Japan based in Tokyo, Eric speaks Japanese and has a deep understanding of Japanese business culture and how Japanese businesses operate.
David E. Case, partner, Rimon Law
David E. Case is an experienced intellectual property and venture capital attorney admitted in the States of CA, NY, WA and OR. David represents U.S., Japanese and multinational private and public companies in a wide variety of cross border intellectual property and venture capital transactions, joint ventures, revenue share arrangements, and M&A transactions. He works closely with clients to understand, appreciate and anticipate their business and legal needs to provide practical and efficient solutions.
David has been ranked as a leading attorney in Asia and Japan continuously between 2008 to 2019 by leading legal ranking journals such as Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Intellectual Property Magazine, World IP Review, and Intellectual Asset Management.
Aya Yasui, associate, Ikeda & Someya
Aya Yasui has a long history of experience in general corporate matters, including international transactions, at both U.S. law firm and domestic general law firm, with a particular focus on antitrust. Her experience includes recent high-profile antitrust cases such as a commitment with the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), cartel, merger control and big-tech related cases. She has been transferred to major foreign companies and has legal experience at an automobile manufacturer as General Manager.
Naoko Teranishi, director for planning office, economic affairs bureau, The Japan Fair Trade Commission
Naoko Teranishi is Director for Planning Office, Economic Affairs Bureau of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) since April 2024. Prior to the current position, she has experienced various positions in the JFTC, such as Head of Digital Platform Investigation Division, Director of the Office of Policy Planning and Research for Digital Markets, Director of the Fair Competition Inspection Office. She graduated from University of Tokyo and a LL.M. degree from New York University in 2006 and a Master of Comparative Law degree from the University of Chicago in 2007. She had been seconded to the Competition Division of the OECD from JFTC from 2013 to 2015 to serve as a competition expert.
Naokuni Kuwagata, corporate officer, country legal head and head of legal international unit Japan, Novartis Pharma
Naokuni Kuwagata leads the Japan legal team of Novartis and is a member of both the global legal leadership team of International and the Japan leadership team.
Before joining Novartis, he worked for Panasonic Corporation as a compliance investigation manager, leading the operation of the integrated global hotline and internal investigation from a global HQ perspective. He also used to work for a leading law firm in Japan for 15 years, including working in the US and India.
He is admitted both in Japan and New York and holds an LLM degree from the Duke University School of Law in the US.
Keiko Uchida, head of legal & compliance, Roche Diagnostics
Keiko Uchida serves as a head of legal and compliance dept of Roche Diagnostics K.K.
As a member of the leadership team at Roche, she provides legal and compliance opinions and contributes to the management of the company. She also serves as a member of an ethics committee at ASrid, a NPO for multi-stakeholders in rare and intractable diseases. Her focus is to enable a value added legal and compliance team and talent development as well as advice on antitrust law, labor law and various corporate legal and compliance matters. Prior to Roche, she served as a corporate officer and general counsel of an insurance company, after serving as a lawyer at a marine related law firm. She graduated from the graduate school of law and politics, the University of Tokyo, and is admitted to the Daiichi Tokyo bar association.
Mihoko Kawamizu, general counsel, Philips
Mihoko Kawamizu is a lawyer licensed in Japan and the State of New York. She holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies from the University of Tokyo, and LL.M. from the University of Washington.
Mihoko is also a member of the Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association. Currently, she serves as Director and Head of Legal and Compliance at Philips Japan Ltd. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has focused on managing legal and compliance matters, particularly in multinational corporations.
Koh Yamaki, senior manager, compliance dept., Hitachi
Koh Yamaki began his career as a Legal Manager at Navitime before joining Hitachi in 2010 as a member of the legal team supporting the Infrastructure Business Unit. Over the years, he led multiple infrastructure projects from a legal perspective, including tender deals, dispute resolution, M&A and project finance in various regions. He later transitioned to the Compliance Department at Hitachi’s headquarters as Senior Manager, where he spearheaded a project to integrate hotlines across Hitachi Group companies. This resulted in the creation and launch of the ‘One Hitachi Compliance Hotline,’ which now serves more than 500 entities worldwide. Currently, he leads the communication team and whistleblowing case investigation teams, overseeing compliance across the entire Hitachi Group.
Hiroko Miyazaki, counsel, GI&T Law Office
Hiroko Miyazaki has worked in prominent law firms in both Japan and the USA over 10 years, where she has engaged in a variety of legal matters, including M&A, international transactions, antitrust law, intellectual property law, labor law, personal data protection law, tax law, civil and criminal litigation, and bankruptcy proceedings. Hiroko’s professional path includes significant roles at Dell Japan, Alcon Japan Ltd., and 3M Japan Limited, where she led legal departments. Since 2021, she has served as President and Representative Director at 3M Japan.
Patrick Forman, counsel, GI&T Law Office
Patrick Forman joined London law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in 2008, where he advised multinational companies on complex litigation and internal investigations. During his time in private practice, Patrick was seconded to an oil super-major and a prominent investment bank, as well as the firms’ Washington DC office.
Patrick subsequently joined British Telecom plc, a leading UK telecoms, technology and media company, as Senior Counsel in 2015. At British Telecom he focused on privacy, AI and data ethics, cyber security and online harm. He advises on the GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, Net Neutrality Regulation, the EU’s proposed EU AI Act, the UK Investigatory Powers Act, and related international human rights standards.
Patrick joined GI&T Law Office in October 2023.
Yuji Yamamoto, senior associate, GI&T Law Office
Yuji Yamamoto joined GI&T Law Office in September 2020. Prior to joining the GI&T Law Office, Yuji worked as a corporate lawyer in a frozen food company in Tokyo from 2017, where he mainly handled domestic and international contract screening, M&A, compliance of Personal Information Protection Law including GDPR, and risk management to corporate scandals.
Yuji gained a LL.B from Waseda University in 2009 and LL.C from the University of Tokyo, Graduate Schools of Law in 2012, and he started his practice in a law firm in Tokyo. He primary advised on many criminal cases and honed his skill of collecting evidences and criminal courts. Yuji also have good experiences in negotiating with police officers, prosecutors, and courts.
Peter Harris, Partner, Clifford Chance, Tokyo
Peter Harris is a Partner of Clifford Chance. Based in Tokyo, Peter specializes in international arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Originally from the UK Peter is qualified in laws of the England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Peter has assisted clients resolve disputes across multiple sectors with a particular focus on energy, infrastructure, natural resources, commodities, shipping, technology and construction. Peter regularly works on disputes between investors and governments as well as disputes between corporate enterprises. Peter is an experienced advocate who regularly appears before international tribunals. Peter also sits as an arbitrator.
Peter has degrees from the universities of Oxford and SOAS and has lived and worked in the UK, Singapore, Australia and Japan. Before becoming a lawyer, Peter had careers as a chef, teacher and journalist.
Natsue Ishida, managing director of legal and intellectual property division, SEGA Sammy Holdings
Natsue Ishida is a legal and compliance professional with over 20 years of client service and in-house legal experience, serving as the head of legal, IP, data privacy and compliance functions for global companies in various industries including commercial vehicles, cosmetics, medical devices and electronics, and as a legal counsel for a major Japanese securities firm.
Ishida also has experience working in the United States and Europe in the areas of global data protection and transfer pricing in the international headquarters of a large multinational accounting firm.
She is a member of the New York State Bar and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional in the United States.
Nobumasa Hiroi, global general counsel, Mujin
Nobu Hiroi is the global general counsel for Mujin Group, a leading robotics company with global operations, and a board member of Mujin Europe. At Mujin, Mr. Hiroi provides comprehensive legal guidance to Mujin’s shareholders and senior management team on matters affecting the business globally, including IP, corporate finance, compliance, and litigation. He also oversees Mujin’s regulatory affairs and global compliance programs, ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory requirements across all markets.
Hiroi was previously a litigator based in Palo Alto, where he handled high-stakes IP litigation at prestigious AM Law 100 firms. His strong foundation in IP and global legal strategies ensures that Mujin’s legal operations align with the company’s ambitious growth and innovation goals.
Hiroi holds a JD from Drexel University School of Law, an MA in English and Creative Writing from Temple University, and a BA in Humanity from Soka University of America.
Takafumi Ochiai, senior partner, Atsumi & Sakai
Mr. Takafumi Ochiai is involved in supporting major domestic and international companies and startups working in the digital sector, as well as in the formation of digital policy in Japan. He has been nominated by various media outlets for his work in areas such as Fintech and data, and was also selected as one of The 30 Rule Makers in Japan (Forbes JAPAN No. 096, 2022). The policy research institute that he founded and serves as president of was selected for Innovation in Adjacent Services at the FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific Awards 2023.
He is the chair of the Startup DXGX Working Group at the Cabinet Office Regulatory Reform Promotion Council, and is involved in major regulatory reforms in Japan. He has also been involved in the development of AI business guidelines at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, measures against fake and misleading information, and the Agile Governance Framework at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. He has also served as an external director of bifFlyer Inc. for about four years, and has been involved in the management of companies that need to consider cyber risks.
He graduated from the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, and passed the bar exam while studying at the Graduate School of Science and Technology.
Daniel Jarrett, partner, Atsumi & Sakai
Daniel Jarrett is a Partner in the Energy, Renewables and Project Finance teams of Atsumi & Sakai. He regularly advises foreign companies on their investments in renewable projects (solar, wind, battery storage and biomass) in Japan, together with advising Japanese companies on projects in the energy (both oil and gas and renewables) and ship finance sectors. Having worked in Japan for seven years, including two years on secondment to one of the largest Japanese trading companies, he provides clear and commercial advice to assist companies in navigating the Japanese market.
Dominic Sharman, partner, Baker McKenzie
Dominic Sharman is a partner at Baker McKenzie’s Tokyo office and is the deputy chairman of UK Japan Connect – Baker McKenzie’s legal and business forum connecting people, culture and business in Japan and the UK.
Having trained and qualified as a solicitor advocate in the UK, Dominic moved to Japan to practice law in 2014. Dominic’s practice covers a broad range of advisory and contentious work with both Japan-related and international aspects, including international arbitration under the rules of various arbitral institutions, cross border litigation in both the courts of England & Wales and Japan, risk management and compliance-related matters.
Dominic speaks Japanese. He regularly assists companies both inbound to Japan and outbound from Japan.
Tomoya Hashimoto, deputy general manager - legal department, Marubeni
Tomoya Hashimoto joined Marubeni in 1999 and has now spent 25 years in Marubeni’s Legal Department. He has worked internationally during this time, in the United States from 2007 to 2009 and in Singapore from 2013 to 2018. In Singapore, Hashimoto was in charge of legal and compliance matters in all ASEAN countries and Southwest Asia as Head of Legal & Compliance of Marubeni’s regional headquarter in Singapore. He has engaged in a variety of domestic and international legal matters, including M&A, commodity trading, infrastructure projects, power projects, construction projects and disputes. As for disputes matters, he has handled many litigations and arbitrations in many jurisdictions, including ICC arbitration, LCIA arbitration, SIAC arbitration.
Brian Yu, senior legal counsel, Tencent
Qualified in both the UK and China, Brian Yu has extensive experience of both the in-house and private practice legal worlds. On the private practice side, he has held positions in China and Japan, with his most recent experience being a position with Withers Worldwide in Toyko. As for in-house, he has excelled with notable positions at Bank of China, Bandai Namco Entertainment and, in his current position, multimedia behemoth Tencent. As Tencent has expanded its business into major markets around the world, including Japan, Yu and the rest of the team has been actively involved in the post-investment management of its subsidiaries, implementing standardised processes to ensure consistent adherence to Tencent Group guidelines across all group companies. Yu has always placed a high price on building relationships internally by understanding the unique styles and preferences of each stakeholder, something that he has been successful at doing throughout his career.
Mina Hoshizawa, compliance manager and legal manager in charge of consumer health, Bayer
Mina Hoshizawa is compliance manager in the Law, Patents & Compliance department at Bayer in Japan. Together with her team members, she provides compliance advice to the Pharmaceutical, Consumer Health and Crop Science Divisions. Before switching her role to compliance, she was legal manager for the Crop Science Division in Bayer in Japan, supporting its leader and its daily operations. Since January 2024, she has takne on an additional role as legal manager for the Consumer Health Division in Bayer in Japan, working closely with its leader as a member of the leadership team. Mina is a qualified Japanese bengoshi (attorney), and before joining Bayer, she worked at Freshfields’ Tokyo office. She is the leader of a working group of the Governance and Legal Committee of The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). She won the first Japan In-house Lawyers Association In-house award winner in in the Compliance category in Individual Awards 2023.
Andreas Höppel, chief legal officer and general counsel, Koki Group
After practicing in his native Germany, Andreas Höppel moved to an in-house legal role with Schletter Group, which gave him the opportunity to relocate to Japan in 2014 and become general counsel for APAC. 2017 saw him move to SEGA, where he rapidly rose through the ranks to become head of legal and then general counsel Japan-Asia. . Earlier this year he moved to power tool manufacturer KOKI Group as their chief legal officer and general counsel.
One of Höppel’s passions throughout his career has been sustainability and ESG efforts, and he believes that doing business in a sustainable manner and introducing ESG initiatives into corporate life are investments into the future which are well worth embarking on.
Ryo Asakura, vice president and general counsel, Japan, Olympus Corporation
Ryo Asakura leads the Legal Japan team at Olympus Corporation, bringing extensive experience in corporate and commercial law, corporate governance, M&A, and medical device law. Prior to joining Olympus, he worked at leading law firms and one of Japan’s largest trading companies, where he specialized in corporate law and M&A. Ryo is admitted in Japan and holds both an LL.B. and a J.D. from the University of Tokyo, as well as an LL.M. from the National University of Singapore.
In association with...
Atsumi & Sakai is a multi-award-winning independent full-service Tokyo law firm, and the first major independent Tokyo law firm with foreign lawyers as full partners*. In addition to lawyers admitted in Japan, our Firm includes foreign lawyers registered in Japan to advise on the laws of the US States of New York and California, India, the laws of England and Wales, and the State of Queensland, Australia. Operating as an integrated international team, Atsumi & Sakai advises a wide range of international and domestic companies and financial institutions on all aspects of finance and business law utilizing our Japanese expertise and the international know-how of our foreign partners.
Baker McKenzie delivers integrated solutions to complex challenges.
Complex business challenges require an integrated response across different markets, sectors and areas of law. Baker McKenzie’s client solutions provide seamless advice, underpinned by deep practice and sector expertise as well as first-rate local market knowledge. Across more than 70 offices globally, Baker McKenzie works alongside our clients to deliver solutions for a connected world.
With an integrated team of more than 190 Japan-qualified lawyers, foreign attorneys, judicial scriveners and immigration law specialists, and an equal number of staff, City-Yuwa is one of the leading law firms in Japan. Many lawyers City-Yuwa lawyers have joined the firm with years of experience working in other professions before joining, including former prosecutors, high-ranking governmental officials, in-house counsels for financial institutions, trading companies and other businesses. City-Yuwa’s practice areas include corporate and commercial, M&A, distribution, finance and banking, securities, insurance, real estate, insolvency and restructuring, litigation and arbitration, IP/IT, labour and employment, anti-trust and competition, energy, data protection, compliance and white-collar criminal defense. In addition to a large team of lawyers dealing with English-language transactions, City-Yuwa has a dedicated bilingual team for German, Korean and Chinese Practices.
Clifford Chance is one of the world’s pre-eminent law firms, with significant depth and range of resources across five continents. As a single, fully integrated, global partnership, it prides itself on its approachable, collegial and team-based way of working. The firm always strives to exceed the expectations of its clients, which include corporates from all the commercial and industrial sectors, governments, regulators, trade bodies and not-for-profit organisations. It provides them with the highest quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
GI&T Law Office is a boutique compliance, investigations, dispute resolution and employment law firm committed to being your trusted legal advisor in establishing comprehensive programs to address your anti-bribery and other compliance needs, conducting internal investigations, and representing you in complex commercial arbitration and litigation matters in Tokyo and Asia. With a network across Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and China, we are equipped to support your local and regional legal needs.
GI&T will provide commercial and practical legal solutions to help you comply with FCPA, UKBA, and other anti-bribery laws. We also support preparing international license agreements, promotion agreements, and development agreements. GI&T will provide legal advice and representation in dispute resolution matters including domestic and cross-border litigation, arbitration and mediation.
IKEDA & SOMEYA, as a law firm of a new era, can offer unparalleled skills and experience in the fields of antitrust/competition and consumer law. The firm’s attorneys have a wealth of experience, coming from diverse backgrounds which include ex-officials at enforcement agencies and former in-house counsel. In addition to general legal counselling and case work, the firm offer various packaged services to help companies implement practical solutions for real and complex problems.
Rimon is a highly selective entrepreneurial firm that combines the dynamic client service, teamwork and agility of a high-end boutique law firm with the deep multidisciplinary experience of a large global firm. Our clients consistently receive exceptional representation across twelve countries and five continents, from our all-star team of corporate, litigation, tax, intellectual property, entertainment, and private client attorneys.
Rimon’s consistent excellence, commitment to the community, and innovation have been internationally recognized, including by Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, the Financial Times Innovation awards, the Atlantic, the American Bar Association’s Legal Rebels, the Economist, the Recorder, and many more.
Rimon’s clients range from cutting edge technology startups to financial institutions and Fortune 100 companies.