Nishimura & Asahi Expands European Presence With New Offices In London And Brussels

Nishimura & Asahi Expands European Presence with New Offices in London and Brussels

Top Japanese law firm Nishimura & Asahi is set to enhance its European footprint by launching offices in London and Brussels, expected to open by early 2025. The London office will be led by M&A partner Yoshiyuki Kizu, while the Brussels office will be overseen by antitrust and competition partner Kojiro Fujii.

Nishimura & Asahi Expands with New Offices in London and Brussels for M&A and Competition Law

This announcement follows the firm’s earlier move in 2020, when it became the first among Japan’s 'Big Four' law firms to establish a presence in Europe with two offices in Germany, bypassing London due to Brexit concerns. The London office will focus on advising clients on cross-border M&A, corporate, and financial transactions, while the Brussels office will address EU competition law, international trade law, sustainability, and digital policy. Both offices will comprise a mix of Japanese and local lawyers who will collaborate with Nishimura’s existing teams in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, supporting clients with M&A and project-related matters throughout Europe.

Kizu, who became a partner in 2020, specializes in cross-border transactions, particularly in Europe. Fujii’s expertise spans competition law, international trade law, digital regulation, and public policy. He previously served as the deputy director at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and worked for Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in Washington, DC.

Nishimura's European expansion follows its registration as a foreign law joint enterprise last year, aimed at attracting international deal lawyers by allowing them to become full equity partners, thus enhancing the firm's competitiveness for cross-border work.

The firm emphasized that despite Brexit, London continues to be a global hub for M&A and finance, making a presence there, alongside Brussels the center of EU policy and regulation essential for providing optimal client support. This strategic move echoes similar changes made by Big Four rival Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, which has also been successfully attracting non-Japanese talent since its structural transformation in 2020.

Anderson Mori is currently the only other member of the Big Four with a direct presence in Europe, having opened its London office in 2022 and following it with a Brussels launch earlier this year. The other firms in the Big Four include Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and Mori Hamada & Matsumoto.