Koji Yamamoto
Partner | Tokyo
*Our Firm is a foreign law joint enterprise (gaikokuhou kyoudou jigyou) between Withers Gaikokuhou Jimu Bengoshi Houjin (whose Partners are attorneys-at-law admitted in California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii and New York, all of whom are foreign registered attorneys (Gaikokuhou Jimu Bengoshi) in Japan) and Withers Bengoshi Houjin (whose Partners, Associates and Counsel are qualified Japanese bengoshi), as defined under Article 2, item 15 of the Special Measures Law Concerning the Handling of Legal Business by Foreign Lawyers (Gaikoku Bengoshi ni yoru Houritsu Jimu no Toriatsukai ni kansuru TokubetsuSochiho) of Japan.
Track record
Advising on Japan regulatory issues
Represented Monex, Inc. as lead and Japan counsel to establish a fund in the Cayman Islands and advised on related Japan regulatory issues
Global venture capital fund
Representing a global venture capital fund as the Japan counsel in relation to all Japan financial regulatory activities with a fund size of US$550 million
Leading alternative investment management firm
Representing a leading alternative investment management firm with approximately US$473 billion in assets under management and supervision as Japan fund counsel for all of the firm's funds offered into Japan.
Leading investment firm
Representing an investment firm with approximately US$105 billion in assets under management as Japan fund counsel for all of the firm's funds which are offered into Japan.
One of the world’s largest investment managers
Represented one of the world’s largest investment managers (US$989 billion AUM) as Japan counsel to successfully register to engage in a discretionary investment management business, investment advisory and agency business and Type 2 Financial Instruments Trading Business
Mpower Partners Fund
Represented Mpower Partners Fund, Japan's first environmental, social and governance focused global venture fund, on their launch
Japan capital raising activities
Represented numerous top tier hedge fund managers and private equity fund managers with respect to rules and regulations applicable to capital raising activities in Japan. Scope of such regulatory advice included submission of filings and registrations applicable to Japan offerings with the Financial Services Agency of Japan.
Japan rules and regulations
Advising fund managers regarding the rules and regulations of Japan with respect to Japan exchange trades, including Block Shareholding Reports; Short Selling (including Japan Regulation M), Insider Trading; Shareholder Proposals, etc.
Talks
'Preparing for the road ahead: The key asset management trends in Asia', - Apr 2022
'How investors can stay ahead amidst increased ESG investment considerations in Greater China', - Feb 2022
'ESG issues for investment funds and real estate investing in Japan' - Oct 2021
'Marketing to Japanese Investors from Abroad - The Foreign Securities Firm Exemption' - Feb 2021
'Rules and regulations on capital raising in Japan' - 22 July 2020
'What is the impact of the JFSA registration procedure for HFTs?', Panel Participant at the Financial Information Services Association of the SIIA - 13 Sept 2018