Licensed partners providing expert legal advice and representation
Our attorneys bring expertise across a broad range of legal areas to support clients doing business in Japan.
Tokyo Japan
Hirohide Nakagawa founded Tokyo Startup Law Firm in 2018 and serves as its Managing Partner. Admitted to the Tokyo Bar Association in 2011, he has built the firm to around 50 lawyers across 29 offices in Japan on a single conviction: that sound legal counsel should be within reach of every company, whatever its size. He established the International Business Desk to extend that reach to companies entering Japan from abroad.
Tokyo Japan
Masakazu Miyaji is Managing Partner of TSL Partners and leads the firm’s legal practice. He has advised companies on cross-border matters, particularly in Southeast Asia, and has extensive in-house experience in the financial sector, including legal, compliance, and project finance matters. Drawing on both private practice and in-house experience, he provides practical, business-oriented legal advice to help clients navigate legal risks and make informed decisions.
Tokyo Japan
Kazuko Gemba is an attorney at law who spent her childhood years in the United States, Ireland, and Argentina. She handled international transactions and cross-border corporate matters for five years at a Spanish law firm in Tokyo, and has since spent six years focused on family law. She works with clients to analyse the issues and risks, helping them to envision and navigate their way to the next stage.
Saitama Japan
Takahiro Kamio is an experienced litigator and corporate lawyer who has practiced law in Japan since 2007. He advises international companies on a broad range of legal matters in Japan, including disputes, litigation, and day-to-day legal issues. Having worked at a major law firm and across a wide range of civil, criminal, and corporate matters, he brings extensive courtroom experience and a practical, hands-on approach to resolving complex legal issues.
Chiba Japan
Toshiki Niizuma advises international companies on a wide range of corporate legal matters in Japan. He regularly assists overseas clients with contracts, employment, compliance, and other legal issues arising from their business operations in Japan. With a responsive and practical approach, he works closely with clients to understand their business needs and provide clear, actionable legal advice.
Fujisawa Japan
With more than 10 years of legal experience, Takuma Honjo has handled a wide range of disputes and legal matters, including employment, civil, and criminal cases. He places particular emphasis on understanding each client’s circumstances and objectives before identifying the most appropriate path forward. Drawing on his broad practical experience, he provides thoughtful and pragmatic advice tailored to each matter.
Saitama Japan
Shingo Yamaguchi advises companies on a broad range of corporate and commercial legal matters, with particular experience in contract review and litigation. He has worked with clients across various industries, including real estate, securities, and IT. Drawing on his broad dispute resolution experience, he focuses on understanding each client’s circumstances and providing practical solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Tokyo Japan
Anna Tanaka advises international companies on a broad range of corporate and commercial legal matters in Japan. Her practice includes M&A, commercial transactions, corporate advisory, and dispute resolution. Drawing on her experience at a leading Japanese law firm, she provides practical and business-oriented advice, working closely with clients to navigate complex legal issues and achieve solutions aligned with their long-term business objectives.
Shinjuku Tokyo Japan
Hitomi Wakatsuki takes a client-focused approach to legal practice, placing particular emphasis on understanding each client’s concerns, circumstances, and objectives. She believes that effective legal support begins with clear communication and a strong relationship of trust. With a thoughtful and responsive approach, she works closely with clients to identify practical solutions tailored to their needs.
Your point of contact for client services, paralegal support, and international coordination.
Tokyo Japan
Shoko leads TSL Partners’ International Business Desk and serves as the primary point of contact for overseas companies entering and doing business in Japan. She supports clients from their initial inquiry through engagement and ongoing matters, coordinating closely with attorneys and external partners to ensure smooth cross-border communication and execution. Her background spans international business development, bilingual project management, and market-entry support for foreign companies in Japan. Drawing on this experience, she helps bridge the gap between overseas clients and the legal and business environment in Japan.
Tallinn Estonia
Dmitry has spent more than twenty years coordinating between Japanese and European organizations, across business communication, joint projects, delegations, and commercial negotiations. He works throughout the Baltic states and wider Europe — researching and introducing potential partners, arranging meetings, and supporting negotiations on the ground. Fluent in Japanese, he bridges not only language but the differences in business custom and communication style that determine whether a project actually moves forward.
Tokyo Japan
Karina leads marketing for the International Business Desk, working to make the firm's services easier for overseas companies to find and understand. She develops the firm's international marketing strategy and shapes how its services are presented in English, from the website and written content to outreach campaigns. Born in the U.S., she brings an international perspective to the firm's cross-border work.
Tokyo Japan
Masami is a paralegal supporting the attorneys who work with the firm's international clients. She handles the documentation and procedural work that a matter requires from start to finish, and coordinates with the courts, public offices, and external specialists involved along the way. Her travels across Europe and Asia inform the perspective she brings to working with clients from outside Japan.
Final CTA
We can review your proposed ownership, management and
operating model, identify dependencies and provide a
coordinated incorporation plan. Contact TSL Partners to
discuss the intended Japan business and target schedule.
We will review the information provided and
identify the appropriate next step.
