DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Nishimura & Asahi

Corporate/M&A: Domestic

7 ranked lawyers

Band 1

Japan

Asia-Pacific 2022 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Lawyers

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What the team is known for

Nishimura & Asahi is experienced in handling a wide array of transactions relating to tender offers, share exchanges, stock acquisitions and business integration. Acts for a variety of domestic companies on inbound and outbound transactions. Offers advice to clients on joint ventures with Asian companies. Also offers expertise in corporate restructuring and consolidation. Able to drawn on expertise from its international network of offices to help facilitate cross-border matters.

Strengths

A satisfied client enthuses: "They have a high degree of expertise, understand our company well and are easy to work with. They have many quality lawyers and they always produce excellent young lawyers."

Work highlights

Nishimura & Asahi acted for NTT DoCoMo's Special Committee on its acquisition of the remaining 33.79% stake in mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo, via a recommended tender offer. The matter was valued at USD40.4 billion.

Notable practitioners

Asa Shinkawa focuses on mergers and acquisitions, with an emphasis on tender offers, acting on both domestic and cross-border transactions. She has experience acting for clients in the pharmaceutical and financial services sectors. She is well reputed by market sources and clients. One source confirms: "She is a very famous, well-known and knowledgeable lawyer," while another reports that "she responds sincerely and flexibly despite various difficult issues."

Hiroshi Uchima is particularly active on transactions involving private equity. An interviewee appreciates his ability and service, noting his "strong understanding of our business needs" and ability to "give advice in a proactive manner."

Ryutaro Nakayama has experience on a range of transactional matters, including advising on the merger control aspects of M&A mandates. He is particularly well placed to handle transactions on behalf of clients operating in the regulated sectors.

Takahiko Date regularly assists clients in both domestic and cross-border M&A transactions such as joint ventures and corporate restructurings. He is described by market sources as "a very good counsel" who "is a very clear and commercially minded lawyer."

Tatsuya Tanigawa handles cross-border and domestic M&A transactions and frequently serves clients in the insurance and financial sectors.

Yo Ota receives praise from a market source for his corporate law expertise. He is well placed to advise on acquisitions, business alliances and corporate governance matters. One interviewee attests: "I'm impressed with his creative advice. He leads numerous difficult projects for us and it is indispensable for us to have his direct involvement."

Yoshinobu Fujimoto is active on M&A and share purchase transactions, and also has experience in joint ventures and shareholder activism matters. One client commends his high level of expertise, reporting: "He exhibits strong negotiation skills, realising a good balance between legal aspects and practical business issues."

Department Information

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Overview

We lead and participate in international and domestic M&A transactions. Our lawyers provide clients with comprehensive and integrated services to effectively meet their needs, including strategic planning, legal due diligence, documentation, negotiation, communication with relevant governmental authorities, and procedures for closing.

Our lawyers are experienced in acquisitions and dispositions in a wide range of industries. We have participated in transactions that involve issues associated not only with corporate laws and securities regulations, but also tax law, antitrust law, intellectual property law, labour law, bankruptcy law, and various business regulations. Our team closely cooperates with specialists in these areas and has developed long-standing cooperative relationships with leading scholars, stock exchanges and Japanese regulatory authorities.

Our firm has four offices in Japan and 14 overseas offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Dubai, Frankfurt/Düsseldorf, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, New York, Singapore, Taipei, Yangon and Hong Kong. In addition, we have also developed strong relationships with many law offices around the world. We utilize the capabilities of our Japanese lawyers and internationally qualified lawyers in our global offices to effectively handle complex cross-border transactions and provide clients with the services necessary to successfully fulfill their goals and maximize the value of their investment in the global marketplace.