The world is currently in the midst of transition, which people have been talking about for a long time. It is no exaggeration to say that, in recent times, we have always been in the period of revolution rather than currently. Especially recently, the impact of the global spread of COVID-19 since 2020 has forced major changes in the fundamental elements of business, such as the movement of people and face-to-face activities. And as the world transitions from epidemic to endemic, the selection of surviving businesses is progressing even more rapidly.

Mercury, since opening, has been expanding the number of clients and the types of businesses it serves. Starting with support for venture businesses, our focus is providing corporate legal advice for listed and unlisted companies. We have also accumulated experience and performance in bankruptcy/business reproduction areas and M&A areas including a delisting case by MBO.

As well as dealing with the above projects in Japan, Mercury has focused on and enhanced its foreign services for a long time. Initially, we centered on the Chinese legal field, in conjunction with local Chinese law firms, and have provided legal services for both Japanese and Chinese companies. And since 2016, Mercury has a Chinese lawyer who has been working at the Osaka office all the time.

On the other hand, since 2011, Mercury has been developing the presence in the Indian legal field. Our Japanese lawyer have stayed in a local Indian law firm on a fulltime basis for more than 10years, studying Indian law, particularly corporate law. Additionally, we have an Indian lawyer who can speak Japanese fluently and is registered as a lawyer of India.

Mercury provides legal services regarding all over Southeast Asian Nations such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand utilizing a variety of our networks.

Furthermore, Hidetaka Sakamoto, the managing partner of Mercury, has been resident in Singapore since 2017, and through the management of a consulting company, while supporting the advancement of Japanese companies into Southeast Asia, also providing various advice for Singaporean businesses wish to enter Japanese market.

As many foreign businesses are aware, the Japanese market is relatively well-developed, but it also has special aspects such as a system extremely biased toward protecting employees. In addition, there are still many situations where English cannot be used in business, and foreign businesses may often find it difficult to communicate with their business partners in Japan.

Furthermore, there are many situations difficult to make prompt and appropriate business judgement, such as when there is an ambiguity in the interpretation and application of Japanese laws, when there is no Supreme Court case, or when it depends on the de facto operation of the administrative agency. These are also the problems that Japanese businesses face every day.

Mercury provides courteous legal support for foreign business companies in developing business in Japan, including legal research, incorporation, debt collection, labor issues, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and arbitration proceedings.

In addition, with the above system, it is possible to provide legal support not only to Japan but also to China, India, Southeast Asia, etc.

If you have any legal issues to resolve, please contact us.

 (Updated January 2022)