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• November 2021

  We are pleased to announce that Rina Miyama joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2021.

• October 2020

  We acted as legal advisors and representatives for a Chinese company (manufacturer) in an arbitration referred to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Indian companies claimed damages of more than 20 billion yen against our client, alleging the breach of a shareholders’ agreement between the parties. We obtained a highly favorable outcome at arbitration, including the dismissal of all damage claims against our client.

• December 2019

  We are pleased to announce that Keiko Kubota joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2019.

• December 2019

  We are pleased to announce that Kosuke Tsukuda joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2019.

• December 2019

  We are pleased to announce that Kaoru Tanoue joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2019.

• October 2019

  In the ”Enforcement of Judgments” published by Chambers Global Practice Guides, our firm contributed the article　of “Law & Practice in Japan”. This article was published on https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/enforcement-of-judgments-2019/japan.

• January 2019

  We are pleased to announce that Shinichi Takahara has been made a partner at Alpha Law Firm as of January 2019.

• December 2018

  We are pleased to announce that Keiko Fuse joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2018.

• December 2018

  We are pleased to announce that Shota Togashi joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2018.

• October 2018

  We are pleased to announce that Michael P. Sabala, Admitted to the bar in California joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in October 2018.

• April 2018

  In the ”Tax Litigation Global Guide” published by Practical Law,our firm contributed the article　of “Tax litigation in Japan: overview”. This article was published on https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/2-622-7831

• December　2017

  We are pleased to announce that Daiki Imaizumi joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2017.

• December 2017

  We are pleased to announce that Yasuyuki　Miyai joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in December 2017.

• November 2017

  In "The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review Fifth Edition" published by Law Business Research Ltd., our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• July 2017

  July, 2017 ZHAO BOSHENG (managing partner) and Liu Yu (partner) participated in the “Belt and Road Legal Services International Cooperation (Chengdu) Forum”, which was held on July 29, 2017 in Chengdu, China. As a representative of our firm, ZHAO BOSHENG signed onto the Articles of Association of The Belt and Road Legal Services Cooperation Platform. We are pleased to announce that our firm and ZHAO BOSHENG are the only Chinese law firm signatories. We hope that we will have the opportunity to encourage international legal services between Japan and China through our participation in this platform.

• July 2017

  We are pleased to announce that Jacob C. Frank, Admitted to the bar in New York and Missouri joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in July 2017.

• June2017

  In “Transfer Pricing & Tax Avoidance: Second edition 2017” published by Thomson Reuters UK Limited, our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• January 2017

  We are pleased to announce that Yoshinari Hashidate joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in January 2017.

• November 2016

  We acted as the legal advisor in the first case in Japan where a joint venture was established that would, in conjunction with business alliances forged with regional financial institutions, operate a discretionary investment and management business by way of a fund wrap made through entrusting agency services to such regional financial institutions.

• September 2016

  In "The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review Fourth Edition" published by Law Business Research Ltd., our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• July 2016

  We acted, in conjunction with an American law firm, as legal advisor for an American subsidiary of a leading Chinese leasing company (“Company”) in a transaction where the Company arranged for a 40 million dollar collateral loan to an American semiconductor manufacturer, secured by an assignment of certain accounts receivable of the American manufacturer and a security interest over the American manufacturer’s movable properties.

• June 2016

  We acted, in conjunction with an Indian law firm, as legal advisor for a leading Chinese heavy electric machinery manufacturer in a transaction where the Chinese manufacturer subsidized a leading Indian firm in the same field through an additional share purchase.

• June 2016

  We were selected as one of the top IP Japan-based law firms, supporting the EU-Japan Tech Transfer Helpdesk established by the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, which is a joint venture of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and the European Commission. The Helpdesk aims at promoting the use in the EU of remarkable IP, technology, and knowhow of Chinese companies and research centers. Please find further information at: http://www.eu-jp-tthelpdesk.eu/

• May 2016

  In "Tax Litigation Second Edition 2016" published by Thomson Reuters UK Limited, our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• May　2016

  In the Nikkei Business newspaper on May 16 where ZHAO BOSHENG`s interview article was published regarding "The Panama Paters".

• April 2016

  Alpha Law Firm is proud to announce the hiring of a new counsel, Mr. Takashi Kumazawa. Mr. Kumazawa has a wealth of experience as a public prosecutor and as a notary public at the District Public Prosecutors Office, the High Public Prosecutors Office, and the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office.

• March 2016

  We acted as legal advisor for a leading Chinese private railway company in a transaction where the private railway company acquired the majority of shares in an entertainment business company, as accounted for using the equity method, by means of a scheme combining a third-party allotment and a takeover bid, as the reorganization within the group centering on the private railway company.

• March 2016

  We acted as legal advisor for a leading Chinese leasing company in a transaction where the leasing company assigned the loan receivables (2 billion Chinese yen) owed to it under the terms of a syndicate loan to a leading Chinese financial institution.

• February 2016

  We acted as legal advisor for a leading Chinese leasing company in a transaction where the leasing company arranged to make a non-recourse loan for purposes of liquidating the receivables it was owed under a lease agreement.

• January 2016

  We are pleased to announce that Baku Oota has been made a partner at Alpha Law Firm as of January 2016.

• December 2015

  We acted as legal advisor for a leading Chinese leasing company in a transaction where the leasing company arranged for an 8.5 billion Chinese yen syndicate loan, in conjunction with a security interest comprised of a series of sophisticated chattel mortgages held over a large amount of equipment, to a semiconductor manufacturer, where the semiconductor manufacturer was a joint venture between a leading Chinese electrical equipment manufacturer and a well-known Israeli semiconductor manufacturer.

• November 2015

  Our firm received a high ranking in the area of “Dispute Resolution” in the latest edition of “The Legal 500, Asia Pacific 2016”. In particular, we were praised for covering a range of matters from routine commercial cases to large-scale, complex, international disputes. Legal 500 is an international legal professional journal that publishes reports and reviews based on feedback from 250,000 legal clients worldwide, as well as client interviews conducted by a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.

• September 2015

  We acted, in conjunction with several international law firms, including our tie-up office, Addleshaw Goddard LLP, as a legal advisor for a UK-based, London Stock Exchange (AIM) listed company that is engaged worldwide in the business of pharmaceuticals in a transaction that could be worth as much as ￡100 million, where this company sought to acquire 100% ownership of a globally oriented Singaporean company engaged in the distribution of highly specialized pharmaceutical and medical technology in Asia, Africa and Australia.

• September 2015

  We acted on behalf of UK reinsurers in negotiations with a Chinese insurance company regarding reinsurance payouts totaling approximately JPY 40 billion in a matter involving property damage and the interruption of business to a large Chinese manufacturer stemming from the Thai floods of October 2011. The negotiations continued for more than three years before a favorable outcome was achieved for our clients on various key legal issues in the case.

• September　2015

  In “The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review: Third Edition” published by Law Business Research Ltd., our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• September 2015

  Alpha Law Firm is proud to announce the hiring of a new associate, Mr. Nobuyoshi Shibuya. Mr. Shibuya has considerable experience about lawsuits (intellectual property, information technology, labor trouble), corporate law (shareholder meeting, proxy fight), corporate risk management (reacting scandals, examining fraud), and constructing compliance structure.

• June 2015

  We acted, in conjunction with a German law firm, as the legal advisor for a leading Chinese electronics manufacturer in a transaction where the electronics manufacturer sought to acquire 100% ownership of a globally oriented German surge arrester company (GmbH), with customers in over 120 countries all over the world.

• May 2015

  Shinichi Takahara gave a lecture regarding the topic of “Unreasonable Restraint of Trade” in an antitrust law seminar hosted by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation for Fair Trade Association.

• April 2015

  We acted as the legal advisor for a major broadcast satellite corporation in a transaction where it was bought, via a share exchange, by the holding company of a leading Chinese media group whose existing companies included a major Chinese TV station.

• March 2015

  Shinichi Takahara gave a lecture discussing the “Draft of the Partial Amendment to ‘Guidelines Concerning Distribution Systems and Business Practices under the Antimonopoly Act’ ” to a legal study group of Japan Processed Foods Wholesalers Association.

• January 2015

  We are pleased to announce that Tadashi Tahara, who graduated from the Supreme Court’s Legal Research and Training Institute, joined Alpha Law Firm as an associate attorney in January 2015.

• December 2014

  We are pleased to announce that Michihiro Matsumoto has been made a partner at Alpha Law Firm as of December 2014.

• November 2014

  Our firm received a high ranking in the area of “Dispute Resolution” in the latest edition of The Legal 500, Asia Pacific 2015. In particular, we were praised for having an excellent reputation in the field of securities fraud and patent disputes, such that the reviewers noted that “[s]ecurities fraud and patent disputes are particular strengths of the [AlphaLaw ] team”. In addition, one of our lawyers has been named one of the journal’s “Leading Individuals” in this field.

  Moreover, we were rated highly in the field of “Intellectual Property”, as the journal noted the high regard in which our firm is held with respect to entertainment-related IP matters.

  Legal 500 is an international legal professional journal that publishes reports and reviews based on feedback from 250,000 legal clients worldwide, as well as client interviews conducted by a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.

• November 2014

  Our firm has been given an entry in “A Total Guide to Business Law Offices 2014 Vol. 2”, published by Shojihomu Co., Ltd. This publication is a guidebook that presents outlines of the major law firms located within Japan that deal with corporate law.

• November 2014

  In “The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review: Second Edition” published by Law Business Research Ltd., our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• October 2014

  Alpha Law Firm is proud to announce the hiring of a new associate, Mr. Shinichi Takahara. Mr. Takahara has experience working in the Japan Fair Trade Commission and is very familiar with competition law. While working in the JFTC, he gained expertise dealing with lawsuits concerning the Antimonopoly Act and the Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representation as Deputy director, Decision and Lawsuit Office. Moreover, he was involved in investigations concerning the Antimonopoly Act as Chief investigator, and investigations concerning the Subcontract Act and the Act Concerning Special Measure for Pass-on of Consumption Tax as Chief Officer for Consumption Tax Pass-on Issues.

• September 2014

  In “Transfer Pricing & Tax Avoidance: First edition 2014” published by Thomson Reuters UK Limited, our firm contributed a chapter covering Japan.

• September 2014

  We held an informative seminar in our office in regard to the Shanghai International Arbitration Center (“SHIAC”) Arbitration Rules that took effect on May 1, 2014. Mr. Wen Wanli, who is the Vice-Chairman/palalegal-General of SHIAC, participated in the event. ZHAO BOSHENG, the managing partner of our office, is a SHIAC arbitrator.

• July 2014

  We acted as a legal advisor for a leading Chinese leasing company in a transaction where the leasing company arranged for an international finance lease to be given to a semiconductor manufacturer in the USA.

• June 2014

  We acted as a legal advisor for a leading Chinese leasing company in a transaction where the leasing company arranged for an 8.8 billion Chinese Yen loan to a semiconductor maker that was a joint venture company of Panasonic Corporation.

• May 2014

  We represented a Chinese specialized trading company, which acted as facilitator in a transaction with a prominent U.S.-based weapons manufacturer involving the sale of an ultra-high magnetic field generation system to a research facility of a highly respected Chinese national university, with such system being able to generate a magnetic field of unprecedented strength. The representation of the trading company involved negotiations with the weapons manufacturer in furtherance of the performance of a development and manufacturing agreement. As the transaction progressed, certain problems materialized, such as late delivery by the weapons manufacturer caused by the cutting-edge nature of the technology, resulting in further negotiations on behalf of the client being required with respect to adjusted price and delivery terms. Following extensive negotiations lasting around one and a half years, the situation was resolved to our client’s satisfaction, and our client was able to successfully deliver the system to the Chinese university.

• March 2014

  We acted, in conjunction with an Indian law firm, as legal advisor for a leading Chinese electronics manufacturer in a transaction where our client and a leading Indian company in the same field established a joint venture in India, wherein Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCD) were used for the investment of the project in response to recent changes in Indian Law.

• March 2014

  We represented a Chinese enterprise in an action to oppose a civil execution made against it by a Chinese enterprise. In this case, the Chinese enterprise sought the return of its bank accounts in Japan that were seized pursuant to a Chinese court’s execution order, which itself was based on an arbitral award for JPY 6 hundred million issued against the Chinese enterprise by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission. In an action filed at Tokyo District Court, but with Chinese law being the applicable law, we argued that the JPY 6 hundred million award had already been satisfied through cross-border set-offs by the Chinese enterprise, an argument that resulted in a judgment being rendered by the court on March 24, 2014 in favor of the Chinese enterprise.

• February 2014

  In representing a leading Chinese fire protection equipment manufacturer in litigation, we were successful in obtaining a very positive settlement in favor of our client following the trial court’s complete rejection of certain product liability claims made by the plaintiffs against our client.