(Main Office)

Junji Masuda founded Masuda & Ejiri (a predecessor of Asahi Law Offices, which subsequently became known as Asahi Koma Law Offices) in Tokyo in November 1977, which primarily handled international legal matters. As Masuda & Ejiri in Tokyo grew to be one of the largest law firms in Japan focusing on international matters, the firm determined to open an office outside of Japan. Junji Masuda established the New York office, practicing under the name Masuda & Ejiri, in January, 1992 as the first Japanese law office in the United States.

The New York office also was very successful and handled a variety of transactional and dispute resolution matters, including investment in Japan, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing, distribution, intellectual property, commercial litigation and arbitration, and patent infringement claims.

Effective May 1, 2007, the New York office became an independent law firm practicing under the name Masuda International. In connection with this re-organization, Masuda International has become associated, also as of May 1, 2007, with the Tokyo law firm of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu (http://www.noandt.com). Our relationship with Asahi Law Offices (or Asahi Koma Law Offices) of Tokyo ended at that time.

Masuda International remains the only Japanese law office in New York. We are very proud of being able to offer cross-border legal services on a wide number of issues to companies and law firms in the United States. We are prepared to advise on highly strategic matters and the formulation of ideal transaction structures, as well as to advise on the implementation of cross-border transactions, drawing upon our own resources and those of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu in Tokyo with which we have a close working relationship.

Statement of Practice

Japanese Law Practice in the areas including Corporate and General Practice, Mergers and Acquisitions, International Investments, Antitrust, Patents, Trademarks, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Financing and Securities.

Address

Carnegie Hall Tower
152 W. 57th Street, 37th Floor
New York, NY 10019-3310, (New York Co.)

Phone

Phone: 212-258-3333
Fax: 212-957-3939

Website

http://www.masudainternational.com

PARTNER

Junji Masuda (Senior Partner) born Tokyo, Japan; admitted to bar, 1968, Japan; 1995, New York. Education: University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1966); Legal Training and Research Institute of The Supreme Court of Japan (1968); Columbia Law School (LL.M., 1971). Robert J. Burton Memorial Fellow. Licensed Legal Consultant, State of New York, 1991. Author: "Enactment of Amendment to the Exon-Florio Provisions," Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, 2007; "Recent Features and Issues of Takeover Bids in the United States," M&A Review, 2004; "Competition Laws Outside the United States - Japan," ABA, 2001; "International Antitrust - Developments in Japan," The International Lawyer 2000; "Japan-U.S. Antitrust Cooperation Agreement," ABA International Antitrust Bulletin, 1999; "Vitamin International Cartel Case," International Legal Strategy, 1999; "How to Litigate in the United States Between Japanese Companies," International Legal Strategy, 1999; "New Business Entities in the United States: Developments of LLC, LLP and LLLP," Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, 1998; "Limited Liability Company as Notable New Business Entity in the United States," International Legal Strategy, 1998; "Check-the-Box Regulations in the United States: Election to be Taxed as Partnership," Journal of the Japanese Institute of International Business Law, 1998; "Telecommunications Law in Japan," Lex Mundi World Reports, 1996; "Multimedia and Copyright," M & A Review, 1996; "Pitfalls of Patent Due Diligence for M&A," M&A Review, 1995; "Real Estate of Jury," M&A Review, 1995; Limited Liability Company," M&A Review, 1995; "Limited Liability Company," International Legal Strategy, 1994; "Acquisitions of Overseas Enterprises," Shojihomu Kenkyu-kai, 1992; "Guidelines for Treatment of M & A Information," 1990; "Disclosure of M & A Information," 1990; "M & A and Insider Trading," 1989; "Exon-Florio Provisions and its Developments," 1989; "Acquisitions by Tender Offer of U.S. Companies by Japanese Companies," 1989; "Legal Problems of Cross-Border M&A," 1988; "International Loan Agreement," Yuhihaku, 1983; "Public Offering and Listing of Foreign Stock," Matthew Bender, 1981; "Registration Requirements for Unlisted Companies and Foreign Companies," 1972; "Dangers in No-Contest Clauses in Patent License Agreements," 1972; "Expansion of In Personam Jurisdiction," 1972. Co-Author: "International eCommerce Business and Legal Issues," CCH, March 2001; "Unknown, Pitfalls of U.S. Criminal Antitrust Cases - Plea Bargaining and Amnesty System," 1999; "Outcome of Shareholders Derivative Lawsuits," International Legal Strategy, 1993; "Restriction on Acquisitions of U.S. Companies for Reason of National Security," 1989; "An Overview of U.S. Bankruptcy Law," 1981; "Foreign Investments in the United States of America - Incentives and Restrictions," 1979; "Export-Import Controls and Customs Duties of Various Foreign Countries," Seirin Shoin Shinsha, 1973. Member: Board of Visitors, Columbia Law School; Advisory Board, M & A Review. Vice Chairman, Federation of Alumni/ae Associations of Tokyo University. Member: Daini Tokyo Bar Association; New York State Bar Association (Member, International Law and Practice Section); American Bar Association; Asian Pacific Committee (Co-Chair); American Foreign Law Association (Vice-President); Japanese American Society for Legal Studies (Councillors); Friends of Todai, Inc. (President, Rijicho); New York Icho-kai (President, Rijicho); Nippon Club; Tokyo Club. Languages: Japanese and English.Email: Junji Masuda

OF COUNSEL

Yasuhide Watanabe (Special Counsel) born Yamaguchi, Japan; admitted to bar, 1986, Japan; 1992, New York and California. Education: The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1981); Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (1986); Columbia Law School (LL.M., 1991). Professional Experience: Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu (formerly Nagashima & Ohno), Japan, 1986—, (Leave of Absence, 2008—); Morrison & Foerster, New York and San Francisco, 1991-1992; Punder, Volhard, Weber & Axster (Currently Clifford Chance), Frankfurt, 1992-1993. Member: Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association. Languages: Japanese and English.Email: Yasuhide Watanabe

ASSOCIATES

Yoshitoshi Imoto (Associate) born Hyogo, Japan; admitted to bar, 2002, Japan; 2009, New York. Education: The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 2001); Harvard Law School (LL.M., 2008). Professional Experience: Masuda International, New York, 2008—. Member: Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association. Languages: Japanese and English.

Yu Wakae (Associate) born Tokyo, Japan; admitted to bar, 2003, Japan (Not Admitted in United States). Education: The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 2002); Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (2003); Harvard Law School (LL.M., Completed Concentration in International Finance, 2009). Member: Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association. Languages: Japanese, English and Chinese.