The projects and energy team at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto is jointly led by Masanori Sato, Takahiro Kobayashi, Takeshi Mukawa, Naoki Ishikawa, and Shigeki Okatani. The group’s expertise spans a range of areas within the energy sector, encompassing biomass projects, photovoltaic projects and power plant construction projects, and has seen an increasing number of instructions in corporate PPA matters. It also handles energy-related construction and project financing transactions. With the addition of Yuko Nihonmatsu and Mihoko Shima to the team in 2022, the group continued to strengthen its position in the PFI/PPP space. Among the sizeable team, Kei Shirakawa advises both project finance lenders and borrowers on energy and infrastructure projects and renewable energy transactions; Okatani has an established position in the offshore wind market in Japan; Yusuke Murakami represents the Japanese government in various offshore wind projects; and Hironobu Noma has experience in a range of PFI projects and project finance transactions.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘I have closely worked with MHM team for a renewable project in Japan. MHM combines legal, commercial and even technical aspects. The firm is an outstanding firm with integrity and empathy. Their advice were not only risk adverse but also creative to tackle a difficult situation by actionable solutions.’
'Hironobu Noma is a remarkable lawyer. His in-depth knowledge is not limited to legal, but extends to financial, commercial and engineering matters. His remarkable business skills helped us to bridge finance and engineering. Without his support, we have never ever achieved financial close and involved the new financial facilities applied for the first time in the country.’
‘Deep knowledge of renewable energy industry in Japan and swift and timely responses.’
‘Takahiro Kobayashi has a deep knowledge of the renewable energy industry in Japan and provides flexible and practical solutions.’

Key clients

JERA Co., Inc.
Marubeni Corporation
Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) Holdings, Inc., TEPCO Renewable Power, Inc.
ENEOS Corporation
Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
MUFG Bank, Ltd.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Work highlights

Acted as the lead legal counsel to Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd. (MHSC) regarding the JTOWER Inc. financing based on the economic value and cash flow realised from telecommunications towers acquired from NTT DOCOMO, Inc., through a project-financing-like whole business securitisation scheme arranged by MHSC.
Acted as a counsel to Enewill Inc. and Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., and assisted in drafting and negotiation of project related contracts and project financing in a major biomass power plant.
Advised METAWATER Co., Ltd., Veolia Jenets K.K., ORIX Corporation and other sponsors on a PPP project for Miyagi Prefecture’s water supply service, industrial waterworks business, and sewerage service.