Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Comprising bengoshi, zeirishi, US qualified tax lawyers, economists, financial analysts and certified practising accountants, Baker & McKenzie’s tax team continues to impress the market with its full service offering. The firm’s deep understanding of ... [more]

Comprising bengoshi, zeirishi, US qualified tax lawyers, economists, financial analysts and certified practising accountants, Baker & McKenzie’s tax team continues to impress the market with its full service offering. The firm’s deep understanding of Japanese tax and legal structures, together with its extensive global network of offices, has attracted foreign and local clients to seek advice on cross border issues.

For instance, a Japanese transportation equipment company and its automotive subsidiary is engaging head of practice Edwin Whatley and his counterparts in Washington DC to renew its APAs and make annual representations for its automobiles in the US. The tax team is also instrumental in many corporate transactions. An example of this saw Whatley and team provide advice on tax and transfer pricing issues for a NYSE listed software computing company in the takeover of its Japanese subsidiary.

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Housing star tax lawyers Yuko Miyazaki, Yushi Hegawa and Atsushi Fujieda, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu’s five partner tax team is one of the largest among the full service local law firms. Many leading Japanese and international corporations are regular ... [more]

Housing star tax lawyers Yuko Miyazaki, Yushi Hegawa and Atsushi Fujieda, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu’s five partner tax team is one of the largest among the full service local law firms. Many leading Japanese and international corporations are regular clients and the team is often involved in high profile tax litigation.

One highlight for the team was its role in providing legislative and tax policy advice to a Japanese major securities exchange. This explored the unprecedented issue of making tax free certain high frequency securities trading in Japan. Keeping abreast of market and regulatory changes, Hegawa and team have been instructed by large financial institutions and quasi governmental organisations on their debt offering deals in the US and Euro markets. This involved the application of the new tax regime following the tax reforms of 2010.

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Led by partners Koji Fujita and Eiichiro Nakatani, the tax team at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune frequently features on the firm’s corporate transactions where it assists clients on tax planning and other tax issues that arise in financial and M&A deals. ... [more]

Led by partners Koji Fujita and Eiichiro Nakatani, the tax team at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune frequently features on the firm’s corporate transactions where it assists clients on tax planning and other tax issues that arise in financial and M&A deals. In addition to advising on corporate matters, the team has represented many clients in tax litigation against the National Tax Agency.

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Mori Hamada & Matsumoto’s leading M&A practice means its tax lawyers are often called upon to advise on ground breaking transactions that require innovative tax planning issues. In 2010, partners Hajime Tanahashi and Atsushi Oishi acted as counsel to ... [more]

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto’s leading M&A practice means its tax lawyers are often called upon to advise on ground breaking transactions that require innovative tax planning issues. In 2010, partners Hajime Tanahashi and Atsushi Oishi acted as counsel to DeNA, a listed Japan based e-commerce business company, and provided advice on complex tax planning in relation to its acquisition of ngmoco. This was the first cross border in out triangular merger using the stock of a Japanese corporation to acquire a non Japanese corporation.

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Handling tax disputes is one of the key aspects of the tax practice at Nishimura & Asahi. One of its successes in court in 2010 was recovering ¥67.3 billion (US$81.8 million) for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. This involved contesting a tax assessment ... [more]

Handling tax disputes is one of the key aspects of the tax practice at Nishimura & Asahi. One of its successes in court in 2010 was recovering ¥67.3 billion (US$81.8 million) for Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. This involved contesting a tax assessment connected to a complex, cross border reinsurance transaction. Partners Masakazu Iwakura, Kazuhiro Takei and Yo Ota are the key contacts at the practice.

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Headed up by partner Gary Thomas, White & Case’s tax team provides highly integrated local and foreign tax advice as well as economic analysis. This sets it apart from its competitors. The group remained active in the past year, representing companies ... [more]

Headed up by partner Gary Thomas, White & Case’s tax team provides highly integrated local and foreign tax advice as well as economic analysis. This sets it apart from its competitors. The group remained active in the past year, representing companies in various industries on matters like tax audits, administrative tax appeals and tax litigation. It also cooperated with Bureau van Dijk, a global publisher of financial databases, to launch a programme to help companies achieve cost efficiencies. In April 2011, the team suffered the departure of leading tax specialist Eric Roose, who took with him of counsel Michael Shikuma and two zeirishi to rival firm Morrison & Foerster.

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