Japan
Freshfields in Japan
We support our Japanese and international clients on their global business needs. From Japan, we work seamlessly with our colleagues across Asia, Europe, the United States and the MENA region, providing the highest quality of service.
We have been working with Japanese and international clients on various cross-border transactions and ground-breaking matters since the opening of our Japan office in 1988. We combine our in-depth knowledge of Japanese law and business culture with our global resources to handle complex and multijurisdictional mandates.
We have extensive experience advising clients in a range of heavily regulated industries, including financial institutions, energy and natural resources, infrastructure, TMT (technology, media and telecoms), healthcare and automotive.
Client successes
Advising Nippon Express Holdings, Inc. on the acquisition of the global logistics group Cargo-Partner, headquartered in Austria and consisting of 63 target companies around the world, for a total consideration of up to €1.4bn.
Advising Knauf, a leading international manufacturer of gypsum boards and other construction materials headquartered in Germany, on its takeover bid and privatisation of Chiyoda Ute Co., Ltd., a Japanese listed manufacturer of gypsum boards.
Advising The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. on its acquisition of Trelleborg Wheel Systems Holding AB, the wheel systems business of Swedish-listed Trelleborg AB, for an enterprise value of over €2bn. Trelleborg Wheel Systems manufactures and sells off-highway tires for agricultural and industrial machinery.
Advising Toray Industries, Inc. on entering into a joint venture with LG Chem, Ltd. (LG Chem). Under this arrangement, LG Chem will invest US$375 million (around JPY 43 billion) in Toray Industries Hungary Kft., a 100% subsidiary of Toray engaged in the manufacture and sales of battery separator film in Hungary. Toray and LG Chem will each initially hold a 50% shareholding in the JV.
Advising Advent International Corporation on acquisition of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation and API Corporation’s UDCA manufacturing business.
Advising SSE plc on an agreement with Pacifico Energy K.K. (a Japanese renewable energy developer) to create a joint ownership company that will pursue offshore wind energy development projects in Japan with a capacity of up to 10GW.
Advising ENEOS Corporation, the largest oil company in Japan, on its acquisition of JSR Corporation's global elastomers business, which includes manufactures and sale of synthetic rubber.
Advising Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group on its agreement to acquire a 49 per cent stake in VPBank Finance Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank, for a consideration of approximately US$1.4bn.
Advising Eppendorf AG on its acquisition of the centrifuge business of Koki Holdings Co., Ltd. in Japan.
Advising Toray Industries Inc. on its acquisition of Alva Sweden AB, a manufacturer of cushions for automotive airbag systems, and its two subsidiaries, Alva Confecções S.A. of Portugal and Alva Tunisia SA of Tunisia.
Advising Knorr-Bremse on its acquisition by way of auction of Hitachi's integral power steering business for commercial vehicles in Japan and Thailand.
Advising Ajinomoto on its acquisition of a 33.33 per cent interest in Promasidor, a major seasoning and processed foods manufacturer that conducts business in 36 countries in Africa.
Advising New Kansai International Airport Company on the ground-breaking concession of Kansai and Osaka international airports, the first concession project to be delivered under the Japan's Promotion of Private Finance Initiative Act.
Advising Pearson on its sale of the Financial Times Group to Nikkei.
Our work on this deal was recognised at the Asian Legal Business Japan Law Awards 2016, winning us:
- Japan Deal of the Year;
- M&A Deal of the Year; and
- TMT Deal of the Year.
