We are Japan's first fully-merged law firm to offer integrated Japanese and international legal advice across all key practice areas.
We are acclaimed in the Japanese market for our ability to create the innovative, cutting-edge structures required for today’s rapidly evolving domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions – a key competitive advantage for our clients in the current climate.
For nearly 40 years, Linklaters has advised on many of Japan’s most significant transactions in the areas of mergers & acquisitions (including acquisition finance and general corporate advice); private equity, banking, projects/energy & infrastructure, restructuring & insolvency, financial markets regulation, capital markets (including derivatives & structured products, equity & debt capital markets and structured finance); and real estate (including real estate finance and securitisation of assets).
Recent significant transactions include advising:
- Dai-ichi Life: advising on its acquisition of a c 15% stake in M&G plc and an US$8bn strategic partnership with M&G plc.
- AirTrunk TOK1: acting for the lenders on the US$1.24bn green loan for the refinancing and continued development of its TOK1 hyperscale data centre campus in East Tokyo – the largest-ever financing for a data centre in Japan.
- Meiji Yasuda: advising on its US$2.3bn acquisition of L&G plc’s US protection business, the creation of a long-term strategic partnership for US pension risk transfer business and its acquisition of a c. 5% of L&G plc.
- A major investment bank’s private equity arm: advising on the acquisition of 100% stake in Burger King Japan.
- Yum! Brands, Inc. and KFC Asia Franchise Pte Ltd: advising on its renewal of Master Franchise Agreement with KFC Japan with a view to the take-private of KFC Japan Holdings by Carlyle – awarded Best Private Equity Deal (North Asia) by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024.
- Ibaraki battery manufacturing facility: advising the lenders of Envision on the project financing of a battery manufacturing facility in Japan.
- Mitsui & Co.,Ltd: advising on its acquisition of 49% interest in the world’s first e-methanol production and sales business in Denmark.
- Actis: advising on the establishment of its US$500m renewable energy platform in Japan, Nozomi Energy Co., Ltd, and its acquisition of 100% of Hergo Japan Energy Corporation.
- Major international bank and SMBC Nikko: Developing a structure to enable Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation as the issuer of covered bonds to recycle RMBS referenced by total return swaps to rebalance the distribution amongst Series of Covered Bonds in connection with the management of the cover pool as a whole.
- ISDA and The Norinchukin Bank: advising on the preparation of Industry Standard Amendment Agreement to cope with the introduction of temporary stay applied to The Norinchukin Bank.
- GENDA Inc.: advising as English Law legal advisor for the Offering of shares of GENDA Inc.
- Lead Managers: advising on the issue of JPY600bn of Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds by Nippon Steel Corporation, issued in two separate series due 2029 and 2031. This was the one of the largest such issuances ever from Japan and one of the largest ever in Asia.
Our renowned experience is recognised by the market:
“I think they have an overwhelming amount of experience. They can provide advice, including on very detailed matters, based on the knowledge they have accumulated from numerous cases"
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026, Capital Markets: Securitisation & Derivatives
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026, Capital Markets: Asia and Euro Markets
“Linklaters has strong English law and Japanese law practices in one office in Tokyo with expertise across a range of areas"
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026, Corporate/M&A
"The firm has rich experience in the insurance industry in general with an insurance dedicated partner. It also has a team which can drive forward M&A negotiations both in the UK and Japan"
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026, Insurance
"Linklaters has a depth of understanding of the law and provides extensive legal advice based on a bird's-eye view of the entire transaction"
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026, Projects & Energy
Asia-Pacific Law Firm of the Year
Chambers Asia-Pacific Awards 2026
Best Law Firm of the Year (APAC) –FinanceAsia Achievment Awards 2025
International Law Firm of the Year - IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2025
Linklaters Tokyo is the business name of Gaikokuho Kyodo-Jigyo Horitsu Jimusho Linklaters, a firm organised under the Japanese Civil Code, which is affiliated to Linklaters LLP.
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