Masakazu Iwakura

Practice Areas

M&A, general corporate, corporate governance, compliance, start-up businesses, insurance, international transactions, international disputes, venture capital/entrepreneurial services, telecommunications/media, corporate crisis management, entertainment and Fintech.

Career

TMI Associates (Senior Partner, 2017-Present)

Professor of Law (Corporate Law and M&A Law), Hitotsubashi University, Graduate School of Law, Department of Business Law (ICS) (2006-present)

Nishimura & Asahi (Formerly known as Nishimura and Sanada) (1987-2016)

Visiting Professor of Law, Harvard Law School (2013-2014)

Visiting Professor of Law, Harvard Law School (2007-2008)

Lecturer of Law (Taxation), Kyoto University, Graduate School (Kyoto) (2005-2007)

Lecturer of Law (International Taxation), Rikkyo University (Tokyo) (1992-1993, 1996-1997, 1998-1999)

Lecturer of Law (International Transactions and Corporation Law), Hokkaido University, Graduate School (Sapporo) (1997-1998)

Lecturer of Law (International Taxation), Yokohama National University (Yokohama) (1996-1997)

Arnold & Porter, Washington, D.C. (1994–1995)

Debevoise & Plimpton, New York (1993–1994)

Independent Director, NIDEC Corporation (2010-12)

Independent Statutory Auditor, Imperial Hotel (2011-2019)

Prince Takamado Japan Canada Memorial Fund, Advisory Council (2017-Present)

Dean’s International Leadership Council, Harvard Law School (2018-Present)

Board Member, Kyoto University of Advanced Science (2018-Present)

Outside Director (board member), Tohokushinsha Film Corp. (2023-Present)

Professional Memberships

Admitted: Japan, 1987; New York, 1994.

Publications

“Casebook Mergers & Acquisitions” together with Professor J. Mark Ramseyer of Harvard Law School　(2015), “The Real Estate M&A and Private Equity Review - Edition 5 ‐ Japan Chapter” published by Law Reviews (2020), “The Mergers & Acquisitions Review - Edition 13 - Japan Chapter” published by Law Reviews (2019), ‘‘Corporate M&A – Japan Chapter - Trends and Developments” published by Chambers and Partners (2020), etc.

Work Highlights

The acquisition of Toshiba Corporation by Japan Industry Partners in 2023, JAPAN POST’s acquisition of Toll Holdings, Idemitsu Kosan’s acquisition of Showa Shell Sekiyu shares from Royal Dutch Shell, the integration of UFJ Bank Group and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group (MUFG), the acquisitions of AIG Edison Life Insurance and AIG Star Life Insurance by Prudential Financial, the demutualization, GPO of the Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Company, Employees' Buy-Out (EBO) of the UNIZO Holdings Company, Limited, and Nidec Corporation’s acquisition of TAKISAWA Corp. in 2023 (which is the first unsolicited buyout in Japan in line with METI’s Corporate Takeovers Guidelines)