City-Yuwa Partners was formed in 2003 as a result of a merger between Yuwa Partners and the law department of Tokyo City Law & Tax Partners. The firm is based in Tokyo with the composition of 123 lawyers.
Highlights
The firm specialized in litigation, insolvency, and real estate law but has since grown further to offer transactional services across capital markets, banking, investment funds, and project development.
In the past year, the firm continued advised on both regulatory issues and transactions, representing Japanese mega banks, trust banks, regional banks, international banks, securities firms and finance company.
In corporate and M&A, the firm assisted in outbound foreign direct investments and M&A by Japanese investors in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries, as well as inbound foreign direct investments and M&A by foreign investors in Japan.
The project team regularly advised offshore wind projects and regulatory and compliance matters under the Electricity Utilities Industry Law.
The firm welcomed the arrival of three partners Takeshi Soga, Takuro Awazu, and Takayuki Sumida from Soga Law Office in 2023, where new partners focused on M&A as well as Chinese law practice.
Testimonials
“What makes them stand out is their thoroughness and attention to detail; they are familiar not only with their own domestic laws but also make it a point to have an understanding of the laws / procedures of the laws of other jurisdictions.” (Asset finance client)
“They are consummate professionals, and their knowledge and experience stand out.” (Asset finance client)
“City-Yuwa Partners has demonstrated their high proficiency of legal solutions to the complex and sophisticated matters, by offering us clear, coherent and comprehensive advice and counsel, based on various legal viewpoints accumulated overtimes, while taking our bank’s unique stance to each financing transaction as the foreign bank well into consideration, while ensuring compliance with local regulatory requirements. Their accurate advice for intricate legal matters has significantly enhanced our bank’s ability to evaluate complicated financing transactions with precision and in timely manner.” (Project finance client)
City-Yuwa Partners has shown these sophisticated abilities by operating collaboratively among partners and associates’ lawyers as a team to deliver optimal legal solutions tailored to our bank’s own needs. This collaborative approach facilitates the exchange of capabilities and experiences within the firm, ensuring a collective reservoir of expertise. Furthermore, it fosters a culture of continuous self-learning environment, whereby each lawyer’s skill and insight are continuously deepened, thereby consistently raising their ability for excellence in legal service. They efficiently gather extensive and wide-ranged information and provide crucial legal advice, primarily during the documentation phase. This comprehensive approach enables us to consistently receive seamless legal services in depth and breadth, spanning from the initial consultation stage through to the final closing of financings and loan disbursements. Additionally, through effective coordination and cooperation among all departments and sections within the firm, they consistently deliver top-quality legal services to our bank. City-Yuwa has always proactively engaged in innovative financing schemes without being bound only by traditional or stereotyped structures. Their specialty and superiority described throughout our feedback in the above are incomparably valuable with positive passion, energy and experience, know-how and internationality.” (Project finance client)
Reiko Yoshida
“She is a true professional and she really knows her ship financing. It is a joy to work with Reiko.”
“She really knows her stuff and we love dealing with her; she is a true professional.”
“Appropriate decision making on the direction of legal services for our bank: Based on our request for consultation of financing scheme and of loan conditions for every project, Masamichi Sakamoto accurately understands and recognizes each requirement for their legal services to be provided to our bank’s transactions."
"Accurate legal knowledge and insight"
"Masamichi Sakamoto has effectively advised us on the interpretation of a wide range of laws and regulations, government ordinances and ordinances directly or indirectly related to our transactions."
"Legal services to absolutely support our bank as his client: To favorably meet the credit conditions determined by our bank in accordance with the status of negotiations with our counterparties, Masamichi Sakamoto effectively provides the most appropriate legal terms and wordings in loan documents as well as makes supportive advice during our consultation."
"Masamichi Sakamoto has been providing sufficient legal knowledge with reasonable background so that his advice could reasonably reflect into our negotiations and loan documents appropriately.”
