JTEKT CORPORATION - Restructuring of Needle Roller Bearing Business in Europe (Germany, France, Czech, etc.)

Yutaka has represented Japanese and international clients such as major manufacturing companies, general trading companies, real estate developers, general contractors, telecommunication companies, natural resource and energy companies, steel makers, PE funds, and venture capital companies in complex domestic and cross-border transactions, as well as commercial litigation involving cross-border matters. He regularly works on international transactions and provides services for international clients. When it comes to Japanese deals, he excels at handling carve-out transactions, which tend to have numerous, complicated issues.

Yoshi’s practice covers various M&A transactions, cross border deals, and day-to-day commercial businesses, with a focus on Europe-related matters. He lived in Europe approx. 8 years including studying at the master of law at UCL in London, working approx. 3 years in leading firms in Frankfurt, Paris and Italy, a short secondment in Barcelona/Madrid and having regular business trips all across Europe including the Netherlands, Nordic countries and Eastern Europe. As a leading partner of Europe practice and cross-border team, Yoshi provides a tailored legal services in a timely and flexible manner.

*Legal advice in the UK is provided under the name of Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited, a legal entity independent from, and a subsidiary of, Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo). None of Nishimura & Asahi (Gaikokuho Kyodo Jigyo), Nishimura & Asahi UK Limited or, the representative, Yoshiyuki Kizu is authorized by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for England and Wales, and none will undertake any reserved legal activity as defined in the United Kingdom Legal Services Act 2007.

Junko Wakabayashi specializes in antitrust and competition law. She has extensive experience with various antitrust matters and issues, including merger filings, cartels, transactional matters, and compliance, in both domestic and cross-border cases. She regularly engages with global clients and negotiates with competition authorities on their behalf. Due to her prior experience at the Ministry Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, where she engaged in policy and rule making, as well as operations, and built a network of connections in government offices, Junko has a deep knowledge and understanding of regulations and government affairs, particularly those that impact transportation industries (e.g., aviation, automotive). She was seconded to a major energy company, where she acquired familiarity with the energy industry. Her wide range of experience enables her to provide precise, tailored advice that accurately addresses and responds to each client’s needs and business operations.

Dominik serves as co-representative of our offices in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, Germany. He advises Japanese companies on corporate and cross-border M&A matters, as well as European companies regarding their business expansion into Southeast Asia (notably Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam). He has a wealth of international experience and brings unique insights into deal-making across different cultures in both emerging and mature markets. Before joining the Tokyo office of Nishimura & Asahi in November 2019, Dominik worked at Clifford Chance (based out of Düsseldorf, Germany, and New York) and as in-house counsel at Pfizer, Inc. (New York).

James has significant experience being the lead negotiator in complex cross-border transactions and coordinating teams of lawyers in multiple jurisdictions with respect to all aspects of such transactions, including with respect to multi-jurisdictional legal due diligence processes, antitrust and other regulatory filings and other local law issues. James has represented private equity and hedge funds, public and private companies and other clients in a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions and other matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, minority investments, venture capital investments, public-private partnerships, private and public securities offerings, tender offers, proxy contests and corporate restructurings. Prior to joining Nishimura & Asahi, James was a corporate associate at firms in New York and Canada.

Kayo Kaneko advises domestic and international clients on a wide range of corporate matters, including M&A, governance, and regulatory-related issues. She is regularly involved in matters where corporate transactions or strategic decisions are shaped by regulatory constraints, institutional frameworks, and evolving legal regimes.
She brings a distinctive perspective informed by her experience at Japan’s Ministry of Justice, where she was engaged in legislative work relating to corporate law. This background enables her to approach legal issues not only from the standpoints of interpretation and compliance but also with an understanding of legislative intent and potential future developments in the regulatory environment.
Kayo also has substantial international experience in Europe, having studied and worked in Germany, including at a leading local law firm. Through this experience, she has gained practical insights into European legal frameworks and market practice, which she applies when advising on cross-border matters involving multiple jurisdictions and stakeholders.
In complex situations where multiple legal considerations intersect, she focuses on structuring key issues and framing the legal premises necessary for informed corporate decision-making. Clients value her ability to navigate uncertainty arising from regulatory change and to provide advice that remains grounded in both the institutional context and practical realities.

Maximilian’s practice covers cross-border M&A transactions, set-up of cross-border Joint Ventures, and day-to-day commercial business activities of international corporations in Europe. He lived in Japan for more than two years including a one-year research fellowship at Kyoto University. Before joining Nishimura & Asahi, Maximilian worked at leading law firms in Germany focusing on legal advice to international clients especially from Japan, China and other Asian jurisdictions.
Leveraging his professional and intercultural experience, Maximilian is considerate of the client’s business culture and provides tailored solutions also by coordinating closely with legal counsel from other European jurisdictions, where necessary.