Jones Day opened its Tokyo Office in 1989 primarily to provide legal services to Japanese companies doing business in the United States.  In January 2002, Jones Day merged with the Japanese firm Showa Law Office, becoming a major player in the Tokyo legal market with substantial Japanese law capability, enabling Jones Day toprovide services not only to Japanese clients in connection with cross-border work but also to its overseas clientele in connection with their investments and operations in Japan.  Since the merger, Jones Day Tokyo has steadily grown both in size and scope of practice, becoming a a full-service office with more than 60 lawyers.

Jones Day Tokyo's M&A and finance lawyers advise Japanese and international businesses on domestic and cross-border transactions in a variety of industries, including life sciences, consumer products, electrical equipment, automotive, and telecom.  The diverse legal needs of our clients in Japan also are served by the deep knowledge and experience of lawyers in our commercial and IP litigation, restructuring, antitrust, government regulation, and tax practices.

Our lawyers in Tokyo work as integral members of Jones Day’s worldwide network, collaborating closely with lawyers in Jones Day’s other offices to serve Firm clients whose headquarters are located outside Japan.  We also act as a local portal to the Firm’s international offices for our Japanese clients, among which are many well-known listed Japanese companies.

As an example of the cross-border work of the Tokyo office, Jones Day and its associated firm in India, P&A Law Offices, advised Daiichi Sankyo, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Japan, in its acquisition of a majority equity interest in publicly-traded Ranbaxy Laboratories, the largest pharmaceutical company in India, in a transaction valued at US$4.6 billion.  Structurally and geographically, this was the most complex transaction in India's history. 

Jones Day advised The Norinchukin Bank in its $684.2 Million acquisition of a minority stake in Mizuho Securities.  Jones Day also advised Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. in connection with the establishment of the joint venture Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical LLC for the engineering design and construction of the Nghi Son Refinery & Petrochemical Complex.  The other members of the joint venture include Petro Vietnam, Kuwait Petroleum Europe and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.  The complex will be located in Thanh Hoa Province, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam with a capacity of 200,000 bbl./day.  Initially capitalized at USD 200 Million, the total project cost will be in excess of USD 6 Billion.  The project is the largest industrial investment licensed in Vietnam to date.

Jones Day Tokyo lawyers are involved in the activities of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, other bar associations, groups of legal practice specialists, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and the Gaiben Kyokai.  Our lawyers also contribute to the development of law in Japan by lecturing at educational institutions and to business groups, serving on study groups, briefing Japanese and foreign government officials and publishing books and articles in newspapers, journals, and law reviews.  Our lawyers represent indigent defendants and provide other pro bono services through Japanese bar associations.

The Jones Day Tokyo office stands out among law offices in Tokyo as a model of integration between Japanese- and foreign-licensed lawyers.  At Jones Day, in keeping with the culture and client-focus of the firm worldwide, working teams are assembled based upon the skill sets, expertise and bar admissions required by the project and client in question.