Masaki Noda is a partner at Nishimura & Asahi, practicing corporate and M&A including mergers, acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, capital and business alliances, joint ventures, and going-private transaction by PE funds.

Among various types of M&A transactions, Masaki Noda has been advising on many complicated and sophisticated deals requiring structuring of various aspects, such as taxes and outbound and inbound cross-border transactions. Some major transactions he has advised on as lead counsel are the defense of Nippon Paint against a hostile acquisition attempt by Wuthelam Holdings in Singapore; the acquisition of equity interests in Post Advisory in the US by Nippon Life; Rakuten’s purchase of shares in Taiwan Rakuten from Presidential Group in Taiwan; the acquisition of shares in GA Telesis by Century Tokyo Leasing; Nippon Paint’s issuance of shares to Wuthelam Holdings in Singapore and purchase of equity interests in JVs from Wuthelamm Holdings in eight jurisdictions (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Bangladesh); Rakuten’s alliance with AirAsia and formation of a joint venture in Japan (i.e., AirAsia Japan); Nippon Life’s purchase of 80% of the shares in MLC Limited specializing in the life insurance business, after carving out the investment business from National Australia Bank and MLC’s 20-year distribution agreement with National Australia Bank; and a merger of equals with equity consideration between a large Japanese listed company and a US listed company.

Recent activities

6/2020

Practical Law Global Guide 2020: Tax on Corporate Transactions - Japan

Articles

4/2020

Top attorneys in Japan: Best Lawyers - 2021 edition

Awards

3/2020

Memorandum of understanding (commercial) Q&A: Japan

Articles

Education

2009

University of Virginia School of Law (LL.M.)

2001

The University of Tokyo (LL.M.)

2000

The University of Tokyo (LL.B.)

Professional experience

2014 - 2016

Lecturer, The University of Tokyo

2012 -

Lecturer, Tax Law, Seikei University Law School

2010 - 2011

International Business Department, Rakuten, Inc.

2009 - 2010

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York

2006 - 2008

Lecturer, Tax Law, Seikei University Law School

2002

Nishimura & Partners