Trends and Developments in Restructuring and Insolvency in Post-pandemic Japan

Hajime has extensive expertise in the area of corporate restructuring and insolvency, as well as securitization/structured finance practice (including concession transactions); especially known for his uncanny skills to see through complex issues and the web of differing interests of relevant parties, he is not confined to conventional thinking and instead strives to devise various new deal structures and provide new solutions. He also has an extensive practice in other areas of corporate finance and capital markets, as well as regulatory matters of financial institutions (including Basel accord capital rules). Having spent his youth in the U.S. and having studied abroad, he is fluent in both English and Japanese. He serves as the Firm’s CTO and is engaged in IT/DX-related matters, as well.

He has an extensive track record representing clients in over 80 corporate rehabilitation and bankruptcy cases to date, playing an instrumental role in communicating with financial institutions on M&A, financing, and private liquidations from a multifaceted perspective. He is also known for his expertise in business succession cases involving a wide range of competing interests, such as drafting family charters, and handling litigation, leveraging his insights into industry conditions and economic circumstances surrounding his clients.

Kotaro has engaged in many restructuring cases through not only formal insolvency proceedings but also out-of-court workouts. From 2019 to 2023, he provided legal advice on cross-border M&A, restructuring/insolvency, disputes, and other corporate matters (with a focus on those related to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines) from our Singapore Office by leveraging the knowledge and experience in local legal and commercial practices and the connection with local professionals.