Practitioner Session Roundtable - The Japan Association of International Economic Law 2024 Annual Conference

Ms. Tomimatsu has extensive experience in the field of international economic law and international arbitration and litigation relating to cross-border business and investment.

She is familiar with EPAs/FTAs (especially in the areas of investment and services, and sustainable development, including labor, environment, and state-owned enterprises), investment agreements/BITs, and international economic law relating to natural resources and energy. She has extensive experience in negotiating international agreements and resolving international economic disputes, and has been involved in the formation of international economic rules and their strategic application in order to ensure fair competition and improve the business environment both in Japan and overseas. She also provides clients with analysis and advice on the formation of rules and their strategic operation and utilization.

With regard to international dispute resolution, she has particular expertise in investor-state dispute settlement procedures (ISDS), international commercial arbitration and mediation, and domestic and international litigation. With regard to foreign investment, utilizing her experience in handling international economic disputes gained at a U.S. law firm, she advises on the prevention of economic disputes in international transactions and business development in foreign countries, as well as on issues to be resolved locally by companies, in particular, those who have suffered or may suffer economic loss due to domestic or foreign discriminatory measures, expropriation and unfair treatment involving the host country of the investment.

She is the author of numerous publications and seminars papers, and frequently presents at conferences on international investment law and international arbitration.

Kazumochi Kometani previously served at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for more than 15 years in high-ranking positions including as General Counsel for International Legal Affairs and as Director of the International Legal Affairs Office.  In these positions, he took a leading role in dispute settlement cases under the WTO Agreement and other international economic laws in more than a dozen cases involving antidumping measures, safeguard measures, export restraints, import restrictions and, local content requirements.  He also advised the Ministry on the consistency with the WTO Agreement and other international economic laws, including various EPA/FTAs and investment treaties, of a variety of governmental measures of foreign countries and Japan.