Anderson Mori & Tomotsune‘s labour and employment team specialises in redundancies, terminations, harassment, and union-related dispute resolution and litigation. The team is jointly led by Kazutoshi Kakuyama; Yukiko Imazu, who advises both Japanese and international companies on harassment prevention; and Junichi Ueda, who has extensive experience in litigation and other dispute resolution, offering guidance on employee regulations, contracts, benefit programs, social insurance, and pension-related matters. Kensuke Otsuki is well versed in litigation related to human resources and labour management. Hideki Thurgood Kanoh is another notable member.

The team at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto Tokyo Office has extensive expertise in labour, employment, and industrial relations matters, including staff migration, terminations, employee benefits, and trade union work. They collaborate closely with other practice groups, integrating advisory, litigation, and M&A specialists to provide comprehensive labour and employment guidance. The team is jointly led by Chisako Takaya, who is well versed in representing employers in labour disputes; Taichi Arai, who brings valuable expertise in labour regulations from his experience at the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare; and Yoshikazu Abe, who focuses on corporate human resources and labour matters, including employee dismissal, overtime pay, and workforce reduction. Fumiko Hama is another notable member.

The team at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu advises international businesses and their Japanese affiliates on employee contracts and work rules, regulatory compliance, harassment issues, redundancy or separation, and collective bargaining negotiations with labour unions. Under the leadership of Satoshi Hosokawa, the team manages M&A projects and supports clients with labour and employment issues related to corporate restructuring. Hosokawa is experienced in handling disputes related to employee harassment, corporate restructuring, and M&A, while Eriko Ogata brings significant expertise in managing investigations by labour authorities. Another key member of the team is Norimitsu Arai.

Nishimura & Asahi‘s labour and employment team possesses extensive expertise in cross-border litigation, benefiting from the collaboration of various practice groups to support their clients effectively. The team is jointly led by Yuri Sugano, who advises domestic and foreign clients in harassment investigations, whistleblower matters, union negotiations, and labour disputes, and Jiro Abe, who is well-versed in restructurings, post-merger integrations, union negotiations, and labour dispute matters. Yukihiko Watanabe is another key team member, providing guidance on union negotiations, labour disputes, and human resources restructuring. Watanabe was promoted to partnership in January 2024.

City-Yuwa Partners’ team advises domestic and international clients on labour and employment disputes, including labour tribunal proceedings and collective bargaining, primarily representing the management side. The team is led by Noriko Higashizawa, who is well-versed in litigation and tribunal proceedings; Tetsuya Munakata, who advises TSE-listed companies, family-owned companies, and start-ups on domestic labour law practices; and Akira Nagasaki, who handles dispute prevention and resolution to avoid unnecessary litigation. Kosuke Hasegawa is another key member, focusing on collective bargaining and harassment matters.

The team at TMI Associates has experience in litigation and contentious dispute resolution, advising Japanese and multinational corporations on employment-related issues, including harassment investigations as well as broader corporate transactions such as M&A and reorganisations. The team is co-led by Mie Fujimoto, who represents domestic and international clients in employment disputes and misconduct matters; Motoi Fujii, who has significant experience in collective bargaining negotiations; and Keisuke Kondo, who advises on harassment, unfair dismissals, and overtime wage claims. Seiji Kurihara advises multinational companies in the manufacturing, finance, and entertainment industries, while Rie Taiko is well-versed in employment-related documents and reviews.

Vanguard Lawyers Tokyo‘s team offers comprehensive advice on all aspects of employment and benefits matters, including offer letters, work rules, executive compensation structuring, and incentive schemes. Led by Akiko Yamakawa, the team also offers labour and employment counsel related to corporate transactions, covering due diligence, union negotiations, and the integration of working terms and conditions. Yamakawa focuses on managing poor performance, redundancies, dismissals, and overtime issues, while Kazuki Okada advises on matters involving employee and union relations. Another key member, Masahiko Kinoshita, handles commercial litigation, termination disputes, and overtime claims.

Atsumi & Sakai‘s team provides comprehensive advice on all aspects of employment law and procedures, including employment agreements, service contracts, harassment issues, poor performance, and matters related to reorganizations or M&A transactions. The team is led by Tatsuo Yamashima, who has extensive experience in start-up, restructuring, disputes, and collective bargaining; Hisashi Miyatsuka, who is well-versed in labour issues and personnel system integration or reorganisation due to M&A; and Emi Uchida, who handles the employment law aspect of inbound, outbound, and domestic M&A, as well as post-merger integration projects.

 

The employment team at Iwata Godo addresses all aspects of employment law, providing guidance on HR strategy, planning and managing organisational change, establishing whistleblowing schemes, and handling harassment allegations and litigation. The team is jointly led by Hiroki Fujiwara and Daisuke Tokumaru, who provide advice to clients on recruitment and hiring practices, employment agreements, and workplace policies. Shinya Tago frequently represents employers in wrongful dismissal litigation and employment standards disputes, while Landry Guesdon specialises in the development, implementation, and enforcement of employment protocols and policies.

Miura & Partners‘ employment practice advises a broad spectrum of clients, ranging from listed companies to small and medium-sized enterprises, on HR operations, labour union matters, harassment consultations, and related due diligence in M&A transactions. Team leader Tsuyoshi Omura is highly experienced in work regulatory requirements, labour union negotiations, collective bargaining representation, and HR restructuring measures related to M&A and corporate reorganisations. Another key member, Hiroto Sugahara, handles day-to-day labour matters and employment litigation.

The team at Ushijima & Partners is well versed in handling domestic and cross-border employment litigation, negotiations, and investigations. Team leader Rikisuke Yamanaka has extensive experience advising both Japanese and foreign clients on employment matters related to foreign employers operating in Japan. The ‘proficient’ Hiroshi Watanabe advises multinational companies on matters related to harassment, discrimination, and labour management, while Kenji Sarukura is experienced in human resources issues, in addition to representing Japanese and international companies in dispute proceedings.

 

Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners‘ team specialises in labour litigation, including mediation, relief for unfair labour practices, and consultations on personnel and labour management. Team leader Daisuke Mure represents clients in provisional disposition proceedings, labour dispute adjudication, and cases before the Labour Relations Commission, such as claims seeking orders for relief. Ayako Kanamaru is notable for her expertise in harassment and redundancy disputes, while Ryotaro Yamamoto focuses on domestic and cross-border HR matters.