The Law Office of Hajime Iwaki is a Tokyo-based corporate practice for foreign-headquartered companies doing business in Japan, acting as outside General Counsel to their Japan entities across corporate, commercial, employment, real estate, transactional and disputes work. Every engagement is handled by the firm’s principal, from the first call to the last filing — not handed off after the pitch.
Foreign-owned Japan operations generate a steady mix of corporate, governance, contract, employment, lease and transactional work. We are built around the size and shape of those needs — partner-level attention with predictable scope. English is the working language by default, with Japanese where a matter requires it.
Engagements are structured so your finance team can plan, while the substantive work within each engagement stays bespoke to your business.
Ongoing outside counsel for your Japan entity, in three named engagements sized to your operational footprint.
Read more →A 90-day package for new entrants: entity choice, incorporation, employment and contract templates, lease review, and direct advisory access.
Read more →Support for time-critical workforce matters: contested terminations, investigations, restructurings, Labor Standards Inspections and union matters.
Read more →Not every need fits a package. Companies can also engage us for a single matter on an hourly basis, with scope confirmed in a written engagement letter.
Solid, high-quality work from a senior lawyer, at a reasonable price. A minimal headcount and an efficient way of working mean you are not paying for layers of review or for a team getting up to speed on your file.
Corporate, contracts, employment, leases, transactions and disputes are handled by the same lawyer rather than by a rotating set of specialists — which builds a real understanding of your business and a wider view of what is happening across the company.
English is our working language by default, and we work in Japanese wherever the matter calls for it — reviewing a counterparty’s Japanese drafts, negotiating with them, and dealing with courts and authorities directly. Headquarters gets clear advice in English, without an intermediary relaying the risk.
Admitted in Japan and California, with prior practice at DLA Piper Tokyo and O’Melveny & Myers — useful when the conversation runs between Tokyo and headquarters.
We check every new matter and decline where a conflict exists. Our employment practice is management-side only.
Yes — commercial, employment, shareholder, IP and insolvency-related disputes. GC Premier includes litigation up to agreed thresholds.
Yes. Outside the Retainer Engagements, companies can engage us for a single matter on an hourly basis, with scope confirmed in a written engagement letter.
Yes. We work with HQ legal teams worldwide: the Japan entity or the parent can sign the engagement letter.
Retainers typically launch within 7–10 days of conflict clearance and signature.
A 15-minute introductory conversation to understand your business and the legal landscape. No commitment.
Start an inquiry