Taro Awataguchi is well experienced in advices on various finance transactions including asset-based lending, and representation of large creditors and strategic buyers in major financial restructuring cases. In the corporate reorganization case of Spansion Japan Limited (semi-conductor manufacturer), he represented the first-ever secured creditors committee officially admitted in the history of Japanese corporate reorganization cases and achieved full recovery plus award through contribution for successful business reorganization of the reorganization company. He also has been repeatedly appointed by the Tokyo District Court as the trustee in bankruptcy, including a notable bitcoin-related case. Taro has extensive experience in disputes and litigations as well in the matters of finance, insolvency and corporate law. He was included in the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Japan for banking and finance law. He is a fluent speaker at important domestic and international conferences on finance and insolvency law, and has experience of teaching the Companies Act of Japan in a university. He is the head of the operating committee of ABL Association in Japan.

Mr. Inoue is a partner of Anderson Mori & Tomotsune who has been involved primarily and has extensive experience in the field of leveraged finance, private equity, and structured finance. He has also been involved in turnaround transactions and debt restructuring for insolvent enterprises.

Kazuaki Nagai is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and has been principally involved in various finance matters such as M&A Finance, Mezzanine Finance, structured finance including securitization and PFI (private finance initiatives). Mr. Nagai also has experience in various fund matters including PE funds and corporate rehabilitation funds, bankruptcy related matters including business rehabilitation and filing of petition for bankruptcy related proceedings, and M&A matters such as reorganization including business transfer and mergers, and subscription and acquisitions of equities including classified shares, and other corporate financial transactions, and general commercial transactions. Mr. Nagai is further engaged in finance matters in relation to energy and natural resources.

Yukari Murayama advises clients on various legal aspects of corporate activities, ranging from M&As, establishment of a joint venture and contract negotiation, to day-to-day issues. In the area of business restructuring and insolvency, she has worked on all forms of restructuring and insolvency proceedings, including corporate reorganization, civil rehabilitation, bankruptcy and out-of-court workouts. Ms Murayama spent two years in the Supervisory Coordination Division of the Financial Services Agency, where she was involved in the supervision of non-bank financial institutions.

Shigeki Tatsuno has a thorough knowledge in M&A, Joint Venture and cross-border transactions. In addition, he regularly advises a number of venture companies and PE funds, and engages in general corporate matters, including IP transactions, broadly.

Masaki Fujita is a partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, based in Tokyo. He specializes in Restructuring & Insolvency, International Trade, National Security, M&A, and Joint Ventures. Masaki has extensive experience in restructuring and insolvency, skillfully representing a wide range of stakeholders—including debtors, creditors, and sponsors—across both court-supervised and private restructuring processes. His expertise is particularly pronounced in cross-border and global insolvency matters, where he combines legal acumen with a strategic perspective to resolve complex, multi-jurisdictional challenges. As an INSOL Fellow and a member of the International Insolvency Institute (III) NextGen, Masaki is recognized internationally for his advanced knowledge and practical insights in this field. In the area of national security and international trade, Masaki provides comprehensive advice on diverse regulatory issues, such as export and import controls, economic sanctions, and security clearances. He has substantial expertise in Japan’s Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA), particularly in advising foreign investors on acquisitions of Japanese companies, corporate bonds, and monetary lending transactions. Masaki also assists clients in obtaining regulatory clearances and responding to investigations by the authorities. Additionally, his work spans critical areas such as supply chain risk assessments, sensitive technology management, and the development of tailored compliance frameworks for multinational enterprises. Masaki also advises foreign companies on navigating Japan’s complex legal and business landscapes. He offers strategic counsel on market entry and exit, addressing commercial, corporate, and employment law matters with a nuanced understanding of Japanese business culture. His insights are enhanced by his tenure as a secondee at the legal department of one of Japan’s largest trading companies, where he gained invaluable experience managing cross-border operations and regulatory challenges. Serving clients across a broad spectrum of industries—including banking, fintech, energy, semiconductors, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, IT, logistics, hospitality, food, fashion, and agriculture—Masaki delivers integrated, pragmatic solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs.

Hideyuki Sakai is an of counsel at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and one of Japan's leading authorities in insolvency and financial restructuring. Prior to joining Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, he was managing partner of Bingham Sakai Mimura Aizawa, the joint enterprise established between Sakai & Mimura, which he founded in 1995, and a leading US law firm. Mr. Sakai focuses on bankruptcy, workouts, civil rehabilitation and other proceedings involving insolvency procedures. He frequently represents financial institutions and large creditor groups in complex debt restructurings and international insolvency matters. He has also served as court-appointed trustee in high-profile cases and as mediator in out-of-court ADR proceedings. Additionally, he has extensive experience in cross-border M&A, complex commercial litigation and crisis management.

Having handled mainly civil and administrative cases as a judge for more than 7 years, he is strong in litigation and other dispute resolution cases. He also has extensive experience in recent legal insolvency proceedings, having served as the chief judge in very large bankruptcy cases and civil rehabilitation cases in the 20th Civil Division of the Tokyo District Court, which is the center court for business rehabilitation and insolvency matters.