Department profile
Employment
Asia-Pacific Guide 2026 : Japan
Rankings
Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
About
Provided by Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo
Employment
Our employment team has deep and extensive knowledge in the areas of labour and employment law that are unique in Japan and can provide you with practical and strategic advice on how to deal with issues that arise “only in Japan”.
A Full Service Practice
Our practice focuses primarily on providing Japanese labour and employment law advice to global companies with operations in Japan. We regularly deal with in-house counsel and HR professionals based in various jurisdictions, including the US, the UK, continental Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. We advise our global clients on all aspects of employment related issues. We understand the needs of global clients and focus on providing proactive advice and creative ideas, rather than just pointing out the risks under Japanese law.
The key types of work we engage in are:
– Representing clients in Japanese courts in relation to various employment disputes;
– Providing advice in relation to the management of poor performers;
– Providing advice on overtime issues;
– Internal investigations and advice relating to workplace harassment such as power harassment and sexual harassment;
– Providing advice on redundancies; and
– Providing advice on how to deal with union issues and representing clients in collective bargaining with unions.
Globally-Recognised Awards
Labour and Employment Law Firm of the Year 2022, 2021, 2019
- ALB Japan Law Awards, presented by Asian Legal Business (ALB) -
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo have the ability to provide practical and concrete solutions. They are also bilingual.
Employment respondentAsia-PacificThey are employment law experts and are able to provide professional and precise advice as opposed to advising by the book.
Employment respondentAsia-PacificThey are highly commercial and practical with a deep understanding of how international institutions like us operate and think.
Employment respondentAsia-Pacific
Notable Practitioners
Provided by Chambers
Senior Statespeople 
Senior Statespeople Kazuki Okada
Kazuki Okada is a widely recognised lawyer in the field of employment law in Japan, regularly advising on union and employee issues for a global clientele. He leverages longstanding litigation experience to represent high profile organisations in their disputes with unions and employees.
The level of his experience is very high, and his experience and honest opinion are very useful in our judgement.
Employment respondentAsia-Pacific
Band 1 
Band 1 Akiko Yamakawa
Akiko Yamakawa is very experienced in advising foreign entities on internal investigations and contentious employment matters involving non-compete clauses and terminations.
No matter what the problem is, she can provide practical and accurate advice, and we can ask for her assistance with confidence.
Employment respondentAsia-PacificShe has extensive experience in the field of HR and labour and provides accurate advice backed by her past experience with similar cases.
Employment respondentAsia-PacificAkiko Yamakawa is great and very practical. She also speaks very good English.
Employment respondentAsia-Pacific
Ranked Individuals at Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo (2)
Japan
Kazuki Okada
Employment: Bengoshi
View profile Akiko Yamakawa
Employment: Bengoshi
View profile
Members
Provided by Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo
Kazuki Okada
View profile of Kazuki OkadaAkiko Yamakawa
View profile of Akiko Yamakawa
What success is built on
Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.