Masakazu Masujima

Practice Areas

M&A (M&A / Reorganizations / Capital and Business Alliances, Private Equity, Start-Ups); Financial Regulation (Banking, Insurance and Pensions, Financial Instruments Business, Payment Services, Fintech); TMT (Technology, Media & Telecom) (Web Services, Data Privacy, Fintech, AI, Web3 / Metaverse, Telecoms, Cybersecurity)

Career

Background

The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 2000); Columbia Law School (LL.M., 2006); Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati P.C, California (2006-2007); assigned to Insurance Business Division and Banks Division I of the Supervisory Bureau, Financial Services Agency as a fixed-term government employee (Assistant Division Manager) (2010-2012)

Major Activities

Director of The Japan Crowdfunding Council (⁠2013-⁠); Legal Advisor to Japan Blockchain Association (⁠JBA⁠) (⁠Name Before Reorganization⁠: Japan Authority of Digital Assets (⁠JADA⁠)⁠) (⁠2015-⁠); Representative Director of FINOVATORS (⁠Association of Financial Innovation⁠) (⁠2016-⁠); ; Member of the Review Committee for the Sharing Economy⁠, Cabinet Secretariat (⁠2016⁠); Member of Advisory Board for Venture Challenge 2020⁠, Cabinet Secretariat (⁠2016⁠); Advisor of Japan Cryptoasset Business Association (⁠formerly Japan Cryptocurrency Business Association⁠) (⁠2017-⁠); Member of Expert Committee for the Study of Intellectual Property Strategy for Promoting ; Temporary Member of the Industrial Structure Council and Member of the Intellectual Property Committee⁠, the Japan Patent Office⁠, Ministry of Economy⁠, Trade and Industry (⁠2021-⁠); Member of the Committee for Evaluating the Effectiveness of New Technologies⁠, Cabinet Office (⁠2021-⁠); Member of Monitoring Meeting on Ensuring Transparency and Fairness of Digital Platforms⁠, Ministry of Economy⁠, Trade and Industry (⁠2021-⁠); Member of Task Force for Creation of New Markets for Startups⁠, organized by the Ministry of Economy⁠, Trade and Industry (⁠2022-⁠); Adjunct Specialist at “⁠Medical Innovation Support Office⁠,⁠” Project Commissioned by the Ministry of Health⁠, Labour and Welfare (⁠2023-⁠) ; Member of Incubation Lab Examination Committee of Information-Technology Promotion Agency⁠, Japan (⁠IPA/DADC⁠) (⁠2023-⁠); Member of the Committee for Reform of Digital-Related Systems⁠, the Digital Agency (⁠2023-⁠); Member of the Study Group on Global Data Governance⁠, organized by the Digital Agency and Ministry of Economy⁠, Trade and Industry (⁠2023-⁠); Member of the Study Group on Deliberating on Construction of Future Generation Financial Infrastructure⁠, SBI Financial and Economic Research Institute Co⁠.⁠, Ltd⁠. (⁠2023-⁠); Member of the Advisory Board for Appropriate Handling of Intellectual Property in Transactions Between Enterprises⁠, the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (⁠2024⁠); Member of the Trusted Web Promotion Council⁠, Digital Agency (⁠2024-⁠); Member of the Study Group on Research Work Related to Projects to Promote the Creation⁠, etc⁠. of Deeptech Start-ups through Carve-Outs Using Innovative Technologies Held by Business Companies⁠, etc⁠.⁠, NEDO (⁠New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization⁠) (⁠2025-⁠); Associate Member of the Start-up and Innovation Working Group⁠, Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform⁠, Cabinet Office (⁠2025-⁠); Member of Expert Meeting on Base Registry Promotion⁠, Digital Agency (⁠2025-⁠)

Professional Memberships

admitted in Japan, 2001; New York, 2007; Patent Attorney (December,2020)