Hiratsuka & Co

The firm: Hiratsuka & Co is renowned as one of the leading maritime law firms in Japan, with nearly 40 years’ history. The firm has provided high-quality legal services to international and local clients, in close liaison with international law firms in the UK, the US, Greece, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and Taiwan. The firm is proud of its success rates and has built a reputation for excellence in its main areas of maritime dispute resolution, shipping, insurance and reinsurance.

The managing partner, Makoto Hiratsuka, has great experience and expertise in litigation practice and has been a member of the Arbitration Commission of The Japan Shipping Exchange, Inc. Makoto Hiratsuka is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Japan Maritime Law Association and Private International Law Association. Partners Shinichiro Yamashita and Yuji Miyazaki have a good command of knowledge in maritime and shipping law. Both Shinichiro Yamashita and Yuji Miyazaki completed the Maritime Law Short Course at the University of Southampton.  Associate Yoichiro Tadano is a recent key addition, particularly active in cases involving carriage by air. Consultant Noboru Kobayashi, one of the most authoritative scholars in the field of maritime and insurance law in Japan, further strengthens the firm with his academic background.

Areas of practice
Admiralty and maritime law: Hiratsuka & Co is best known for its expertise in the areas of marine casualties (including collision, grounding, ship fires and oil spillage), charterparty disputes, cargo claims and disputes involving ship sale and purchase. The firm has represented many owners and charterers, as well as their P&I clubs and underwriters, both non-Japanese and Japanese.

Civil and commercial litigation: Hiratsuka & Co has considerable experience in commercial dispute resolution, from litigation or arbitration to negotiations, and has handled a number of high-profile cases. The firm deals with complex multi-jurisdictional commercial cases and advises on issues of jurisdiction and choice of law.

Insurance and reinsurance: Hiratsuka & Co handles practice in all aspects of insurance and reinsurance. The firm advises on the interpretation of insurance and reinsurance policies and handles disputes, acting for clients, particularly for non-Japanese reinsurers.

Shipping: Hiratsuka & Co has a reputation for providing prompt and accurate legal advice to clients, particularly to non-Japanese clients regarding all types of disputes including those arising out of charterparties, bills of lading and contracts of affreightment, reinsurance contracts and shipbuilding contracts.

Bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation/reorganisation proceedings: Hiratsuka & Co provides legal services related to bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation, corporate reorganisation and liquidation proceedings. The firm also handles matters related to transactions on claims against companies in bankruptcy, reorganisation and rehabilitation proceedings.