Since the financial Big Bang around the year 2000 and with the enforcement of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law in 2007, the importance of legal checks for financial instrument transactions has increased significantly. It has become essential to consider risk disclosure from the perspective of information disclosure. Since the 1970s, the firm's attorneys have been providing clients with asset management services (i.e., foreign investment trusts and investment advisory services) and foreign bond issuance services. Taking advantage of our knowledge regarding information disclosure and preparation of applications and offering memorandums, we provide our clients with a wide range of legal advice on the structure and offering of financial instruments. The number of matters requiring our knowledge and experience has been increasing, especially with regard to consideration of risk disclosure.

The firm gives advice on legal issues, executes various contracts and prepares and submits securities registration statements in its capacity as the representative of issuers when a foreign investment trust established in the Cayman Islands, Luxemburg, Ireland, or any other jurisdiction offers the instruments, either publicly and privately, in Japan. We also offer legal advice on the structure of instruments in domestic investment trusts, preparation of securities registration statements and performance of day-to-day management. Since the enactment of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law, issuers and distributors of units in investment trusts have been given greater legal responsibilities. We strive to assist our clients in complying with the new regulations and to contribute to the sound development of the asset management business in Japan.

Since the dawn of the J-REIT, the firm has been actively involved in the establishment and development of the investment corporation (i.e., establishing investment corporations and asset management companies, obtaining licenses, and conducting IPOs), to the acquisition of properties, financing, management of board or unitholders' meetings, information disclosure and any other matters that have subsequently arisen. Due to the volatile J-REIT market, we are increasingly covering M&A and business restructuring activities. Attorneys and paralegals at the firm have a vast amount of expertise and experience providing comprehensive services in the J-REIT practice, handling finance, corporate and M&A related issues.

Attorneys at the firm are also experienced in the establishment and registration of investment managers, trustees and investment advisors; the registration of type 1 and type 2 financial instruments business providers and special business providers such as qualified institutional investors; and other matters in cooperation with the firm's judicial scriveners and paralegals. We have provided these services to overseas investment managers for years. The experience we have gained as a result enables us to offer a broad range of advice in English on investment management in Japan, from the details of the initial stages of investment management to the structure of financial instruments.