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弁護士等紹介

LAWYERS

TOJI Yoshihiro

TOJI Yoshihiro

Title
Representative Partner
Languages
Japanese (native)/English/French
Telephone Number
+81-3-3214-6436
E-mail address
ytoji@iwatagodo.com

Career Summary

August 1959
Born in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
March 1978
Graduated from Kitano Senior High School in Osaka
March 1982
Received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo
1982-1987
Worked for Kobe Steel, Ltd. (mostly engaged in plant export sales)
March 1991
Received his Diploma from the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (43rd)
April 1991
Registered as a Japanese attorney and joined Iwata Godo
July 1997
Completed DSU at the University of Paris
1997-1998
Seconded to Richards Butler in Paris and London
November 1999 to present
Member of Joyo Bank Compliance & Audit Committee
June 2004 to June 2016
Corporate Auditor for Tobishima Corporation
October 2006
Appointed as a member of "the Contractual Practices Improvement Panel" established by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
2007 to present
Member of "the Supervisory Committee on Promoting Proper Contracts for Goods and Services" established by MOE
2011 to present
Corporate Auditor for Tanaka Holdings
2012-2017
Examinant Member of the Society for Testing Financial Knowledge
2015-2017
Outside Company Auditor for Otsuka Kagu, Ltd.
2015-2019
Part-time lecturer at Seikei University Law School
2016-2019
Appointed to a visiting professorship of Institute of Business Law and Comparative Law & Politics (IBC), Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, the University of Tokyo.
2018-2020
Outside Director of AP HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
June 2020-
Outside Director & Audit and Supervisory Committee Member of AP COMPANY CO., LTD.
April 2023 -
Vice President of the Japan Nuclear Shelter Association (NPO)

Practice Areas

Corporate
Finance
Dispute Resolution
Crisis Management
Environment and Global Warming
Consumer Law
Non-Profit and Public Corporations
Pro Bono
International

Engaged Cases

(For financial institutions)
1991 - 1996 Lawsuit for compensatory damages against banks for their illegal acts (by representing the defendant bank)
1999 - 2005 Advices to banks on their merger, demerger and other organizational restructuring
1999 - 2011 Requests for document submission order against a banks for their Ringisho (request for approval) (by representing the defendant bank)
2000 to present Advices on asset liquidation and project finance
2001 to present Advices to financial institutions on their inter-group information management subject to the Personal Information Protection Law
2008 to present ADR cases/ lawsuits for compensatory damages against banks' failure to explain and conduct KYC (know your customer) check (by representing the defendant bank)
(For manufacturers)
1991 - 2000 Product liability lawsuits against electric appliance makers (by representing the defendant manufacturer)
1991 - 2000 Action for the injunction against patent infringement and the revocation of a trial decision against a metal material manufacturer (by representing the patent owner)
2003 - 2005 Action for the injunction against manufacturing based on a violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (by representing a plaintiff manufacturer)
2006 to present Advices for various manufacturers on their M&A for business integration, due diligence, etc.
(Others)
1991 to 2003 Lawsuit against electric power companies involving environmental issues (by representing electric power companies)

Professional Memberships

Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association

List of Main Publications

≪Japanese≫
-“The Latest Shareholder Meeting Stories” (co-author, Shoji Homu, 2022)
-“6,000 Lectures on Legal Issues for Financial Institutions” (co-author, K.K. Kinzai, 2022)
-“Introduction to Insider Trading Regulations / Disclosure Rules” (K.K. Kinzai, 2019)
-“Better Understanding of the Civil Code Required for Personnel in Charge of Legal Affairs (Contract part) [the 2nd edition]” （ShojiHomu, 2018）
-“5,000 Lectures on Legal Issues for Financial Institutions” (co-author, K.K. Kinzai, 2018)
-“Points to be Noted toward Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2018”(co-author, Shoji Houmu, 2018)
-“New Story of Shareholders' Meeting” (co-author, Shoji Houmu, 2017)
-“Business Law Outlook for 2017 – Focusing on Finance-related Laws and Regulations” （Kinyu Houmu Jijo No. 2057）
-“Information Leakage and Directors’ Responsibility for Establishment of Internal Control System” (co-author, Shoji Homu No. 2117)
-“Legal Practices for Executives of Financial Institutions – Their Accountabilities and Responsibilities under Japan’s Corporate Governance Code” (co-author, Kinzai Institute For Financial Affairs, Inc., 2016)
-“Commercial Judicial Precedent which Adds Color to the Period” (co-author, Shoji Houmu, 2015)
-“Tax Issues Related to Financial Institutions –Learning from Case Examples” (Kinyu Houmu Jijo No.2008, 2014)
-“Manual for the legal staffs when facing a civil action (second edition)” (co-author, Shoji Homu, 2014)
-“A story of shareholders’ meeting” (co-author, Shoji Houmu, November 2012)
-“Sales Agreement: Focus points in reviewing contracts and avoiding pitfalls in using a passable documentary form” (Business Law Journal, No. 49, 2012)
- “The Civil Law for the legal staffs who want to refresh their memory” (Shoji Homu, 2009)
- “Vienna Sales Agreement” (Nikkei Business, No. 1507, September 14, 2009 )
- “The easy–to-understand Electronically Recorded Monetary Claims Act” (co-author, Shoji Homu, 2007)
- “Key points of the New Companies Act and its impacts on banks’ operations” (co-author, Regional Banks Association of Japan, 2006)
- “Legal examination regarding the revision of Accounting Standard for Lease Transactions” (co-author, Weekly Shoji Homu, No.1755, 2006)
- “Osaka high court decision on December 18, 2002 on obligation to disclose” (Hanrei Times, No.1178, 2005)
- “Summary of BOT project in China and attorney’s legal services thereof” (co-author, Kokusai Shoji Homu, Vol. 30 No.7, 2002)
- “Volume 3 of ‘What you need to prepare for shareholders’ meetings’: Judicial precedents and historical precedents” (Shoji Homu Study Panel, 1994)
- “Manual for joint venture business” (supervisor, Joint Venture Study Panel)
- “Practical handbook for the Unfair Competition Prevention Act” (supervisor, Fair Trade Committee of Japan Intellectual Property Association)
- “Lectures on compliance” (five volumes in video, Ginko Kenshu)
- “Lectures on Business Tax Laws” (Shoji Homu) and more.

Publications

Lectures, Seminars and Conferences

  • 2019.12

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture titled "Practical Lecture on Accounting Laws for General Administration Personnel" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2019.10

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered the 5th lecture of the series "Basic Legal Knowledge for Legal Personnel [regarding Japan]" hosted by the Association of Corporate Legal Departments titled "Responding to Civil Disputes/Civil Suits" at sola city Conference Center.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2019.09

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Cultivating Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Based on its Revision -" at a conference room on the 13th floor of Oe Building in Osaka.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2019.08

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Cultivating Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Based on its Revision -" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2019.03

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Training Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Considering Revision of Law of Obligations -" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2018.11

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture titled "Lesson 5 'Countermeasures for Civil Disputes and Litigations' of the Basic Knowledge Seminar for Legal Assistants (Japan)" hosted by the Association of Corporate Legal Departments at the Hotel Tokyo Garden Palace.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2018.07

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture titled "What is Required Now in Corporate Governance and Compliance" at the Regional Banks Association of Japan.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2018.05

    Toji Yoshihiro, Sakamoto Tomoko and Ito Hiroki held a panel discussion entitled "Issues of Annual Meeting of Shareholders in 2018 and Countermeasures thereof" at the Second Association of Regional Banks.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　 SAKAMOTO Tomoko　 ITO Hiroki　

  • 2018.01

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Cultivating Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Considering its Revision -" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2017.11

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Lesson 4 'Countermeasures for Civil Disputes and Litigations' of the Basic Knowledge Seminar for Legal Assistants (Japan)" at the Takachiho room on the 2nd floor of Hotel Tokyo Garden Palace.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2017.11

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Lecture in Accounting Law in Practice for Persons in Charge of General Affairs" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of ShojiHomu Co., Ltd.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2017.09

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Training Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Considering Revision of Law of Obligations -" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2017.08

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice - Training Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Considering Revision of Law of Obligations -" at a conference room on the 13th floor of Oe Building in Osaka.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2017.05

    Toji Yoshihiro, Matsuda Akira delivered a lecture entitled "Management of Personal Information under the Revised Law - Business Practices Concerning Regulations on Cross-Border Transfer of Personal Information" at Finance Forum 2017 (hosted by Seminar Info Co., Ltd.).

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　 MATSUDA Akira　

  • 2016.10

    Toji Yoshihiro will deliver a lecture entitled "Lecture in Accounting Law in Practice for Persons in Charge of General Affairs: Specific Cases where General and Legal Affairs and Accounting/Finance Merge” on November 30, 2016 at a conference room on the 3rd floor of ShojiHomu Co., Ltd.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2016.02

    Toji Yoshihiro will deliver a lecture entitled "Learning the Civil Code from Contractual Practice -- Training Structural Thinking Process of the Civil Code Considering Movement Toward the Revision of Law of Obligations --" on August 21, 2015 in Osaka, and on August 25, 2015 at Shoji Homu Co., Ltd.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2015.09

    Toji Yoshihiro will deliver a lecture entitled "Lecture in Accounting Law in Practice for Persons in Charge of General Affairs: Specific Cases where General and Legal Affairs and Accounting/Finance Merge" on November 30, 2015 at a conference room on the 3rd floor of ShojiHomu Co., Ltd.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2015.09

    Toji Yoshihiro, Izumi Atsushi and Okushi Kenichi, along with Professor Yukimi Ozeki and Visiting Professor Masahiro Murakami of Seikei University, delivered a series of omnibus lectures on the theme of “Corporate Legal Affairs” (15 rounds in total) at Seikei University Law School.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　 IZUMI Atsushi　 OKUSHI Kenichi　

  • 2015.02

    Toji Yoshihiro will deliver a lecture entitled "Learn Civil Law from Contractual Practice 〜 Training Structural Thinking Process of Civil Law While Keeping an Eye on the Moves of Revision of Laws of Regulations" at a conference room on the 3rd floor of Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2014.10

    Toji Yoshihiro delivered a lecture entitled "Lecture in Accounting Law in Practice: Specific Cases where General and Legal Affairs and Accounting/ Finance Merge" at a conference room on the third floor of Shoji Homu Co., Ltd. office, on October 14, 2014.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

  • 2012.12

    Toji Yoshihiro, Ueda Atsushi and Sakamoto Tomoko participated as a panelist, and Motomura Takeshi served as a moderator, in the symposium entitled “Recent rules on sales and solicitation of products with risks in regional banks and its countermeasures in the future.”

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　 UEDA Atsushi　 MOTOMURA Takeshi　

  • 2012.07

    Toji Yoshihiro conducted a lecture entitled “Various contracts pertaining to business activities (Details of contracts)” in the “Foundation of business law” (comprehensive-training seminar for legal assistants) sponsored by Shoji Houmu.

    Speaker： TOJI Yoshihiro　

News

  • 2024.04

    20 lawyers of our firm were recognized in The Best Lawyers in Japan 2025.

    Best Lawyers
    ■ Antitrust / Competition Law
    TOJI Yoshihiro

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    UEDA Atsushi

    ■ Banking and Finance Law
    TOJI Yoshihiro
    SAKAMOTO Tomoko
    MATSUDA Takao

    ■ Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
    MOTOMURA Takeshi

    ■ Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice
    YOSHIHARA Tomomichi

    ■ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
    TAGO Shinya
    MOTOMURA Takeshi
    URANAKA Hirotaka

    ■ Labor and Employment Law
    TAGO Shinya

    ■ Litigation
    TOJI Yoshihiro
    WAKABAYASHI Shigeo
    MOTOMURA Takeshi
    YOSHIHARA Tomomichi
    URANAKA Hirotaka


    Best Lawyers - "Ones to Watch"
    ■ Antitrust / Competition Law
    ISHIKAWA Teppei

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    SAITO Hiroki
    NAKAMURA Saeko

    ■ Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
    KARASAWA Akira
    IKEDA Minako
    YAMADA Kohei
    SUZUKI Tomohiro
    FUKUCHI Takumi

    ■ Information Technology Law
    SAITO Hiroki

    ■ Intellectual Property Law (Non-Patent)
    ISHIKAWA Hiroaki

    ■ Labor and Employment Law
    KITAGAWA Hiroki

    ■ Privacy and Data Security Law
    HORITA Koji

  • 2024.04

    The Nikkei carries a comment by Toji Yoshihiro in its article "Kobayashi Pharma's Beni-Koji: Experts' Views on the Delayed Report to Outside Directors"

  • 2023.12

    High marks in the Nikkei's Rankings of Reliable Law Firms and Outstanding Attorneys in 2023

    Iwata Godo placed 14th in the Rankings of Reliable Law Firms category of the Nikkei's Corporate and Tax Lawyers Survey. In the Rankings of Outstanding Attorneys in 2023 (overall rankings assessed by companies and attorneys), three attorneys of Iwata Godo were recognized:
    Toji Yoshihiro was ranked 18th in the General Corporate category;
    Motomura Takeshi was ranked 15th in the Crisis Management and Response to Wrongdoings category; and
    Matsuda Akira was ranked 17th in the Business and Human Rights category

  • 2023.05

    19 lawyers of our firm were recognized in The Best Lawyers in Japan 2024.

    Best Lawyers
    ■ Antitrust / Competition Law
    TOJI Yoshihiro

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    UEDA Atsushi

    ■ Banking and Finance Law
    TOJI Yoshihiro
    SAKAMOTO Tomoko
    MATSUDA Takao

    ■ Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
    MOTOMURA Takeshi

    ■ Insolvency and Reorganization Law
    TAGO Shinya
    URANAKA Hirotaka

    ■ Labor and Employment Law
    TAGO Shinya

    ■ Litigation
    TOJI Yoshihiro
    WAKABAYASHI Shigeo
    MOTOMURA Takeshi
    YOSHIHARA Tomomichi
    URANAKA Hirotaka

    ■ Product Liability Litigation
    TOJI Yoshihiro


    Best Lawyers - "Ones to Watch"
    ■ Antitrust / Competition Law
    ISHIKAWA Teppei

    ■ Arbitration and Mediation
    SAITO Hiroki

    ■ Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
    KARASAWA Akira
    IKEDA Minako
    YAMADA Kohei
    SUZUKI Tomohiro
    FUKUCHI Takumi

    ■ Information Technology Law
    SAITO Hiroki

    ■ Intellectual Property Law (Non-Patent)
    ISHIKAWA Hiroaki

    ■ Labor and Employment Law
    KITAGAWA Hiroki

    ■ Privacy and Data Security Law
    HORITA Koji

  • 2016.10

    Toji Yoshihiro was appointed to a visiting professorship of the University of Tokyo.

  • 2016.01

    Toji Yoshihiro, Okushi Kenichi, Aoki Shinji, Kudo Ryohei and others represented a defendant financial institution in a case judged on March 5, 2015, at Tokyo High Court, where dismissal of all the claims was admitted, and judged in prior instance on September 9, 2014, at Tokyo District Court (the case decided that neither a breach of principle of suitability or a breach of accountability is recognized even if explanation about the relevant market valuation was not provided to a customer while the customer had no knowledge about market valuation calculated by financial engineering method) and a commentary article on the case appears in Kinyu Houmu Jijo No. 2032.

  • 2015.12

    Toji Yoshihiro has been ranked eighth in the area of the corporate legal affairs in the ranking of the best performing lawyers in 2015 (lawyers' ranking selected by companies) derived from the 11th "Corporate Legal Affairs and Lawyer Survey" conducted by Nikkei Inc.

  • 2014.12

    Article introducing 'A Manual for People in Charge of Legal Work on How to Respond to Civil Suits- Revised Edition' (written and edited by Toji Yoshihiro) appears in "Book Guide for Legal Work 2015" Business Law Journal No. 83.

  • 2012.05

    Toji Yoshihiro was delegated as a member of the Committee of Monitoring on Promoting Proper Contracting of the Ministry of the Environment.(He has been delegated since 2007.)

  • 2012.01

    The publication authored by Toji Yoshihiro, "Re-learning of civil law (contract) for personnel in Legal Affairs Section" receives high evaluation in BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL Vol.47.

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