Atsumi & Sakai has launched A&S Osaka, an affiliate office in the port city of Honshu Island, to provide legal services centred in the Kansai region, while also supporting clients in Chubu, Chugoku and Shikoku.
“A&S Osaka will focus on providing legal services to foreign-affiliated companies and other clients primarily in the field of corporate law,” A&S Osaka’s partner and head Teiji Maehashi told Asia Business Law Journal.
Teiji Maehashi
Maehashi has been working with Atsumi & Sakai since 2023. Previously, he worked at Ethos Law Office for more than a year and at At Partners Law Office for three years, as well as Janssen Foreign Law Joint Enterprise with Atsumi & Sakai for one year. His main practice areas include M&A, corporate reorganisation, governance and disputes, joint ventures, general compliance, labour and employment, export controls, imports, customs as well as tariffs, among others.
With Osaka designated by the Japanese government as a Financial and Asset Management Special Zone, and the launch of the Global Financial City Osaka initiative, the region was expected to attract a growing number of foreign financial institutions (including fintech companies), investors and newly established domestic ventures, said Maehashi.
He added that Atsumi & Sakai had long supported Global Financial City Osaka, and the establishment of A&S Osaka would enhance the firm’s ability to meet increasing client demand for local, English-language legal support, particularly in areas such as business succession M&A and projects aligned with the initiative.
Maehashi also said the Osaka office recognised the legal needs that often extended beyond core corporate matters. For example, legal issues that may arise concerning the families of foreign employees, such as family law matters or inheritance in Japan, said Maehashi. He stressed that in such cases, even if the corporate client was the office’s primary point of contact, the likelihood of a conflict of interest with the employee was generally low. Therefore, A&S Osaka believed it was both feasible and beneficial to extend their legal services to such employees on matters outside the scope of corporate legal affairs, Maehashi added.
Additionally, with the Kansai region being home to several influential business organisations, including the chambers of commerce in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, and the Kansai Economic Federation, the office had opportunities to connect with local companies, regional financial institutions and venture businesses, said Maehashi. He added that A&S Osaka planned to participate in networking events to build strong relationships and deepen ties with the local business community.
With the addition of the Osaka office, Atsumi & Sakai’s network now comprises three domestic branches and five overseas locations.
AloJapan.com