Japan 2024 – GC Powerlist
GC Powerlist Logo

Japan 2024

  • Industries

  • Powerlist

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aki Tomita

Executive officer, head of general affairs and legal | Sumitomo Corporation

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Akiko Kikuchi

Member of the Board of Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., General Counsel and VP Legal, Ethics & Compliance | Novo Nordisk

Healthcare

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Akio Miura

Chief legal officer and chief compliance officer | Manulife

Insurance

Alex Choe

Attorney | Wizards of the Coast

Sports and media

View profile
Andreas Höppel

Chief legal officer and general counsel | KOKI Group

Information technology

View profile
Angela Yuen

Deputy general counsel – global legal, tech and innovation | JERA

Energy and utilities

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Angela Krantz

Vice president and associate general counsel | Amazon Japan

Information technology

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Anri Okamoto

Senior executive officer | ANDPAD Inc.

Information technology

Anthony Luna

General counsel | IBM Japan

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aramide Fields

Associate general counsel | Autoliv

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Arshad Karim

Legal director and head of legal Japan | Abbott Japan

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Asako Ouchi

Senior attorney | IBM Japan

Information technology

View profile

Rising Star

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Atsuhiro Yamane

SCM general counsel | Coca Cola Bottlers Japan

Food

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Atsushi Sakurai

Corporate vice president and general manager of legal division | FUJIFILM Holdings

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Ayaka Takeda

Chief legal officer, SaaS business and head of risk management | Uzabase

Information technology

Rising Star

Ayako Shotoku

Director, member of the board, executive officer, group general counsel | Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Industrials and real estate

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Brian Chi

General counsel Japan | Kyndryl

Information technology

Brian Yu

Senior legal counsel | Tencent Japan

Information technology

View profile
Chika Hirata

Head of Japan/JPBU ethics and compliance, global ethics and compliance | Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

Healthcare

View profile
Chikara Matsumoto

Chief legal and risk officer, executive general manager of compliance and information security division | Benesse Holdings

Commercial and professional services

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Claire Mitsuru Chino

Managing executive officer, corporate communications division | ITOCHU

Industrials and real estate

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Daiske Yoshida

Senior counsel, Google regulatory affairs | Google

Information technology

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Daniel Liu

Managing director | Fortress Investment Group Japan

Financials

David Aughey

Managing director and head of Japan legal | Barclays Securities Japan

Financials

View profile
Eddie Lo

General counsel and chief operating officer | PAG Renewables

Energy and utilities

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Edward “Ted” Johnson

General counsel | Liquid-Market-Solutions

Information technology

Emi Takeda

Managing director and Japan legal head | Accenture

Information technology

View profile
Fumika Ito

General counsel | SAP Japan

Information technology

View profile
Fumitaka Eshima

Managing director and general counsel Japan | UBS

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hajime Seki

Chief legal officer | Square Enix Holdings

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hidetaka Sumomogi

Legal director (Johnson & Johnson MedTech Japan & South East Asia) | Johnson & Johnson

Healthcare

View profile
Hideyuki Sakamoto

Chief legal officer, executive officer | The Gibraltar Life Insurance Company

Insurance

View profile
Hiro Kato

General counsel | INPEX Corporation

Energy and utilities

View profile
Hiroaki Asahara

Head of legal | MICIN

Information technology

View profile

Rising Star

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hiroe Kajiwara

Director, portfolio management and legal | Eight Roads

Financials

Hiroki Matsumura

Head of legal | Reazon Holdings

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hiroko Yoshika

Corporate officer, general manager of intellectual property, legal and compliance | Gunze

Consumer products

Hiroko Tanaka

Executive officer, general counsel, managing director | Citigroup Global Markets Japan

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hiromi Furushima

Director, international legal | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Healthcare

Hiromi Shiraishi

Country counsel for Japan | HP Japan

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hiroshi Mori

Chief legal officer | MUFG

Financials

Hiroyuki Urase

General manager and head of legal and compliance | Sony Financial Group

Financials

View profile
Jeffrey Wong

Regional general counsel and compliance officer | AESC Group

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
John P.H. Vigman

General counsel | Veolia

Energy and utilities

Jun Niwa

Senior managing legal director | Dell Technologies

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Junichi Ebihara

Executive vice president, legal and intellectual property | Chugai Pharmaceutical

Healthcare

Junji Kaneko

Director of the corporate planning and legal department | Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Corporation

Sports and media

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Justin Wilson

Deputy general counsel | INPEX

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kanki Hirata

Head of legal | Neuberger Berman

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kaori Takezawa

Senior vice president, legal, compliance and privacy | Sony Group Corporation

Industrials and real estate

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kasumi Nakamura

Head of legal Japan | Standard Chartered Bank

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kazuki Nemoto

Director, legal department | Kyowa Kirin

Healthcare

View profile
Kazunari Fukuda

Group legal and compliance director | LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton Japan

Consumer products

View profile
Kenichiro Aoya

Senior executive officer and general manager of legal division | Nitori Holdings

Consumer products

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kenji Fujimoto

Chief operating officer and head of legal | BlackRock

Financials

Kenji Hosokawa

General counsel | MUFG Innovation Partners

Financials

View profile
Kenji Tagaya

Head of legal and secretariat division | JERA

Energy and utilities

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kensuke Mamiya

Vice president legal Japan | UiPath

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kento Asai

Head of legal | READYFOR

Information technology

Rising Star

Kiyoko Takagi

Managing legal counsel | T. Rowe Price Japan

Financials

View profile
Kohei Mima

General counsel, chief privacy officer and chief compliance officer | Nestle Japan

Food

View profile
Koichi Okimoto

Director, legal and compliance | Nippon Otis Elevator Company

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Koji Tsurumi

Vice president regional counsel, Asia Pacific | Kenvue

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kozo Sasaki

Head of legal | Amuse

Sports and media

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kyoko Mizuguchi

Corporate executive officer, EVP and general counsel | Fujitsu

Information technology

View profile
Makoto Shinto

General manager, group governance, legal and compliance unit | Tokyo Electron

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mami Yoshida

Chief legal officer, NewsPicks business | Uzabase

Information technology

Mari Hiraizumi

General counsel Japan and member of the board | GlaxoSmithKline

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Maria Wachi

Head of legal | FWD

Insurance

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Masahiro Sogabe

Executive officer, general manager, legal division | ITOCHU Corporation

Industrials and real estate

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Masaki Ueno

Head of transactional legal | Orix

Financials

Matthew Datum

General manager, legal and intellectual property | Bandai Namco Entertainment

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mikako Cho

Chief legal officer | Prudential Holdings

Insurance

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mina Hoshizawa

Compliance manager and legal manager in charge of consumer health | Bayer

Materials and mining

View profile

Rising Star

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mitsutaka Hibino

Vice president, head of legal office | Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT)

Telecommunication services

View profile
Mizuho Uchida

Senior director, head of legal for Japan and Korea | Tapestry Japan

Consumer products

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nana Kishikawa

Vice president, deputy head of global legal | Fujitsu

Information technology

Rising Star

Naoki Hamada

General counsel Japan | HSBC

Financials

View profile
Naokuni Kuwagata

Corporate officer and country legal head Japan | Novartis Pharma

Healthcare

View profile
Natsue Ishida

Managing director of legal and intellectual property division | SEGA Sammy Holdings

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Natsue Nagato

Head of legal Japan | Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nobuharu Sakai

Head of legal Japan | BNY

Financials

Nobusuke Nakamiya

Associate director | Accenture

Information technology

View profile

Rising Star

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Osamu Nagotomo

General manager of legal department | Tokyo Gas

Materials and mining

View profile
Ryo Asakura

Vice president, general counsel Japan | Olympus

Healthcare

View profile
Satoshi Kurata

Executive officer and general counsel | JGC Holdings

Industrials and real estate

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Sawako Miyauchi

Head of group legal department | Nomura Holdings

Financials

Sayaka Matsui

Representative executive officer and general counsel | Unilever Japan Holdings

Consumer products

View profile
Sayo Kondo Takizawa

Managing director | Blackstone

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Shiho Koizumi

Chief legal officer | NISSIN FOODS Holdings

Food

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Shin Kato

Vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer, intellectual property, internal control | Eisai

Healthcare

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Shinichiro Akiyama

Head of legal Japan | Deutsche Securities

Financials

Shintaro Sakurada

Chief legal officer | SOURCENEXT

Information technology

View profile
Sho Imanaka

General counsel | Medley

Healthcare

View profile
Shoko Kimijima

Chief legal and compliance officer and executive vice president | LIXIL

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Steven Howard

Legal director, Asia Pacific | Fiskars Group

Consumer products

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Susumu Sakurai

Director legal | Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Materials and mining

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Susumu Saeki

General manager, legal department, legal and corporate affairs division | Chiyoda Corporation

Industrials and real estate

Tadashi Koizumi

Statutory executive officer and chief legal officer Japan | MetLife

Insurance

View profile
Takahiro Hasegawa

Senior counsel, Japan | Uber Japan

Information technology

View profile
Takahiro Homma

General counsel | Renesas Electronics

Information technology

View profile
Takahisa Shimizu

Senior legal counsel | FedEx Express

Transport and infrastructure

View profile
Takamasa Makita

Managing director, legal and contract management | Accenture

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Takashi Shimodaira

Principal expert, general manager | Asahi Kasei

Materials and mining

Takashi Yoshida

Legal and compliance counsel Japan | Getinge Group

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Takehiro Nakamori

Head of legal department | Sumitomo Corporation

Industrials and real estate

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Takeshi Kotera

General manager legal | Teijin

Industrials and real estate

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Tim Mackey

Corporate officer, group chief legal officer and group compliance officer | SoftBank Group

Financials

View profile
Tomoaki Kuragano

Japan legal director | Medtronic

Healthcare

View profile
Tomohisa Nishimura

General manager, legal department, administration headquarters | Konoike Construction

Industrials and real estate

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Tomoko Akashi

Head of legal Japan | Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Tomoko Takezawa (Kramer)

Vice president | Visa

Financials

Tomomichi Takao

Director, member of the board and chief legal officer  | Funds, Inc.

Information technology

View profile

Rising Star

Tomoya Hashimoto

Deputy general manager of legal department | Marubeni

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Toshimi Itakura

General manager, legal department | Sojitz Corporation

Industrials and real estate

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Toshiyuki Nakai

Head of legal Japan | Macquarie Securities

Financials

Tsuyoshi Futoo

General counsel Japan | Air Liquide Japan

Materials and mining

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yoichi Sudo

Executive officer in charge of legal, intellectual property and government relations | SECOM

Commercial and professional services

View profile
Yoshiaki Sakurai

Head of legal Japan | Olympus

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yoshie Namiki

Head of governance group | SoftBank Group

Financials

View profile

Rising Star

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yoshiko Mitani

Department manager, legal department, legal and intellectual property division | Nikon

Consumer products

Yoshio Sano

General counsel | Chubb

Insurance

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yosuke Fujisawa

Head of markets legal | Goldman Sachs

Financials

Yuichi Takano

Executive managing officer, general counsel and executive committee member | Mitsui & Co.

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Yuichiro Watanabe

Lead counsel | Airbnb Japan

Hotels

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yukiko Kido

Co-head of legal, Japan | JP Morgan Securities

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yumi Harada

Head of legal | CBRE

Industrials and real estate

Yuri Yasue

Director, executive officer and head of legal Japan | Societe Generale Securities Japan

Financials

View profile
Yusuke Iwaya

Legal manager | Kojima Productions

Information technology

View profile

Rising Star

Yutaka Hashimoto

Chief risk management officer, general manager of legal and risk management department | freee

Information technology

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yutaka Miura

Head of legal Japan | BNP Paribas Securities

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Yutaka Nakamura

Head of legal | Asurion

Insurance

The Legal 500 is delighted to present our second GC Powerlist: Japan. This year, we in our research team were faced with the considerable challenge of updating the list of awardees to reflect market changes while retaining a core of the most impressive leading GCs in the previous edition. In a legal market as complex and awash with talent as Japan, this was no easy task!
With that said, I am pleased to announce that the 2024 GC Powerlist: Japan succeeds in these two somewhat contradictory objectives, building on the huge success of 2023’s Powerlist while adding a raft of top corporate counsel who are appearing for the first time. As is perhaps unsurprising given Japan’s position as an economic behemoth, the list of GCs contained here categorically stands alongside or above any others worldwide. \
The insights available from our interviews are also well worth reading. To pick one of many examples from our conversations conducted, Hidetaka Sumomogi of Johnson and Johnson gave this picture-perfect overview of the current conversations around legal AI use:
‘”Are the effects of AI on the legal world overplayed, or underplayed?”
At this point, I would say neither. AI is here to stay and just like any other industry, AI has naturally impacted the legal industry, and the industry, in return, has embraced AI and other technologies. That said, if the implication of the question is whether AI will ultimately replace lawyers, then in my humble view, the answer would be no. If anything, the role of in-house counsel will likely only increase. AI may be able to adequately supplement, perhaps even overtake, legal expertise and hard skills per se. 
However, the critical responsibility of an in-house counsel is not only to provide legal counsel; rather, it is to provide ethical guidance and leadership in the context of both the culture of the company and the matter at hand. 
In other words, AI can answer to the question of legality – but can it solve the question of whether a decision is right or wrong (even if legal)?
The totality of natural and professional human experience gained through our human senses is required to answer that question, and my personal view is that it may take significant time, if it is possible at all, for AI to reach that stage. We cannot underestimate the development of AI and AI is here to help us, but my personal belief is that it will be very difficult to completely replace our ultimate ethical judgement.’
 
On behalf of everyone at the Legal 500, huge congratulations to all of those featured on the list, especially those appearing for the second time. Being able to launch the GC Powerlist Japan for the first time in 2023 was one of the crowning achievements of our in-house legal research team, successfully improving on that in the second edition, highlighting a range of unbelievably impressive new GCs in the process, is another huge honour for us.
Joe Boswell
Global Editor: GC Powerlist Series
Legal 500

GC Powerlist: Illinois 2024

On November 14th, Legal 500 proudly launched the second edition of the GC Powerlist Illinois in Chicago, following months of in-depth research. The event brought together distinguished in-house counsel from across Illinois for an evening of networking at Willkie Farr & Gallagher’s Chicago office.
The evening began with congratulatory remarks from Legal 500‘s US Editor, Melissa Yebisi, followed by Craig C. Martin, Chairman Midwest of Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Attendees then had the opportunity to connect with their peers and receive certificates commemorating their inclusion in the Powerlist. We are thrilled to have returned to Chicago for this celebration of legal excellence and look forward to future events in this vibrant city.