LAWYER PROFILE
Gaku Ishiwata

Gaku Ishiwata

Asia-Pacific 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Mori Hamada

Practice Areas

Gaku Ishiwata has led on a wide range of high-profile M&A transactions in Japan, including cross-border M&A, contested transactions, private equity, crisis management, corporate governance and other matters related to corporate law and financial regulations. He has served as a member of numerous committees established by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Financial Services Agency related to M&A legislation, and has been actively involved in the development of M&A regulations in Japan. He has also focused on fostering future generations, such as being in charge of the M&A legislation course at The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics. In addition to his native language of Japanese, Gaku is fluent in English.

Career

Background

The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1995); University of Chicago Law School (LL.M., 2001); Davis Polk & Wardwell (2001-2002); Lecturer at Kyoto University Law School (2007-2016); Visiting Professor, The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics (2019-2022); Lecturer at The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics (2023-)

Major Activities

Member of Corporate Value Study Group⁠, organized by METI (⁠2004-2008⁠); Member of First Subcommittee⁠, Sectional Committee on Financial System⁠, Financial System Council (⁠2005-2006⁠); Member of the Fair M&A Study Group⁠, METI (⁠2018-2019⁠); Member of the Fair Acquisition Study Group⁠, METI (⁠2022-⁠); Expert Member of the Working Group on Tender Offer Rules and Large Shareholding Reporting Rules of the Financial System Council⁠, Financial Services Agency (⁠2023-⁠)

Professional Memberships

admitted in Japan, 1997; New York, 2002

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Asia & Pacific

Corporate/M&A: Domestic - Japan

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial

Gaku Ishiwata is a market-leading M&A lawyer with particular expertise in hostile takeovers. He also has experience acting on cross-border acquisitions and private equity transactions.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • He is excellent.

    Corporate/M&A: DomesticChambers Asia & Pacific
  • He is a very high-quality counsel.

    Corporate/M&A: DomesticChambers Asia & Pacific
  • Gaku Ishiwata is one of the leading lights of the Japanese M&A Bar.

    Corporate/M&A: DomesticChambers Asia & Pacific

Ranked Individuals at Mori Hamada (70)

Japan

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