Main Areas of Expertise

Main Areas of Expertise

Practice Area

We specialize primarily in the following areas:

1 Settlement Business

Our representative lawyer, Ryu Nakasaki, worked in the Finance Department of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, where he provided advice on the Banking Act, AML Act, and Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, and handled many cases on financing and investment contracts.

He was later seconded to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, where he was involved in the amendment of the Installment Sales Act (the “Credit Card Act”) and the Specified Commercial Transactions Act (the “Internet Sales Act”).

He is the co-author of “Commentary on the Installment Sales Act” (the “Credit Card Act”) published by the Japanese government and the single-author of “Details on the Revised Installment Sales Act”, and has handled many credit card-related cases (e.g., development of contracts and legal compliance systems).

He is also the author of the book, “A Detailed Explanation of the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds and the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act,” and has extensive knowledge of AML/CFT compliance, which is essential for settlement business.

Laws Related to Settlement:

Installment Sales Act (the “Credit Card Act”), Money Lending Business Act (including Investment Law, Interest Rate Restriction Act, Payment Services Act, Banking Act, Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (or the “AML Act”), Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.

2 Online Businesses such as Advertising

Our representative lawyer Ryu Nakasaki’s experience includes working as an in-house lawyer in the advertising business legal department of Yahoo Japan Corporation as well as working for another major Internet company for approximately four years.

He has handled a number of Internet-related business cases, including advertising, data, online shopping (including pharmaceuticals, etc.) and game platform businesses (as a former auditor of the Japan Online Game Association).

Yuko Sato also has in-house experience at Rakuten Group, one of Japan’s most reputable internet mall and credit card business companies.

Laws related to Online Business: 

Act on the Protection of Personal Information, Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, Act on Regulation of Transmission of Specified Electronic Mail, Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, Subcontract Act (such as Service Agreement), Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act, Secondhand Articles Dealer Act (such as online auctions).

3 M&A Advisory

Recent transactions

【Internet · Advertising · Data Business】
  Research regulations for online shopping websites and formulate contracts

    • Support launch of online shops
    • Review and revision of advertising rules
    • Formulation of regulations on advertising tools
    • Collaboration agreement on advertisement / data business
    • Launch of DMP service
    • Revision of cloud service agreement
    • Prevention and support for leakage of customer information
    • Contract on collaboration and entrustment of game development
    • Establishing rules for game platforms
    • Establishing rules for game developers
    • Regulatory monitor compliance at system construction
    • Contract on entrustment of system construction
    • Formulating privacy policy
    • Support for Specific Commercial Transaction Law / Personal Information   Protection Law / Premium Display Act / Subcontract Act

【Settlement】

    • Legal consultation on Installment Sales Law, Money Lending Business Law, Fund Settlement Law, Banking Law, etc.
    • Consultation on credit card, prepaid card, virtual currency, etc.
    • Preparation of templates of merchant agreements and revision of agreements
    • Contractual negotiate with card networks
    • Launch of card acquiring service
    • Support for acquisition of network licenses
    • Compliance with various laws and international brand features guideline and advice on improvement of compliance structure

【Measures against money laundering】

Support for the development of compliance structure (internal regulations, formulation of manuals, system construction, etc.) regarding to Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds

    • Monitor the status of compliance structure (analysis and proposal for improvement plan of compliance with laws and regulations)
    • Report deplorable event to administrative authority and propose for improvement strategy
    • Legal consultations

【International Transactions】

    • Prepare standard template of agreement in trade
    • Draft order form in trade
    • Support for compliance with the Foreign Exchange Law, Customs Law etc.
    • Support for improvement of compliance system regard to Foreign Exchange and
    • Foreign Trade Control Act
    • Joint Ventures
    • Share transfer procedure
    • Licensing
    • Franchising
    • Translation service
    • Simultaneous interpreter and legal adviser at a contractual negotiation in overseas

【Other】

    • Drafting of company regulations
    • Lecture at in-company and external workshops