DISMISSAL OF EMPLOYEES UNDER JAPANESE EMPLOYMENT LAW (January 2017)

Takemi Hiramatsu specializes in general corporate matters including M&A, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. He is also skilled in dispute related matters, including those relating to employment and intellectual property. He is especially known for his ability to advise on M&A and other transactional matters that traverse various areas of the law, including corporate, securities, employment, IP and insolvency laws. Further, with his personal network and his decades of experience in developing the firm’s impressive network of overseas law firms, he is able to handle cross-border matters seamlessly utilizing expert foreign lawyers spanning the globe. His clients include some of the world’s most prestigious listed and unlisted companies. He is also a member of the firm’s Latin American practice team and African practice team. He was recognized as a recommended lawyer for M&A by Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2008 (August 2008), for Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers Japan 2024 (April 2023), for Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers Japan 2025 (April 2024) and for Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers Japan 2026 (April 2025).

Takeo advises various types of clients in the field of labor and employment law.

The origins of his career lie in his experience working for Central Japan Railway Company (JR Tokai) prior to becoming a lawyer. He gained experience in a variety of roles, ranging from operational positions (as a bullet train operator, conductor, and station attendant on the Tokaido Shinkansen) to legal and corporate planning work within the management division.
Having experienced the reality of labor and employment issues, as well as the role of law in corporate management, he has consistently pursued an approach that goes beyond mere legal interpretation to provide “practical solutions” that consider the interests of all stakeholders.
He continuously handles diverse cases, including employment legal consultations, dispute resolution such as employment litigation and labor tribunal proceedings, employment compliance matters like harassment investigations and employee misconduct cases, and advising on HR systems for work-style reform and human capital utilization. Additionally, he has consistently engaged in complex cases involving labor and employment matters during M&A transactions, collective bargaining with labor unions, and dispute resolution at labor relations commissions.
He also has deep knowledge of international labor standards, based on his experience working as a consultant at the International Labor Organization (ILO) Office for Japan. His extensive engagement in the ILO’s “Business and Human Rights” project has made him an expert among the few Japanese attorneys who possess proficiency in both domestic labor laws and international labor standards.