Japan’s New Look for Investors Piques Foreign Law Firm Interest

Japan is easing the path for foreign lawyers to work in the country as it courts outside investments.

The country in July streamlined its foreign lawyer registration process, as US and UK lawyers continue to be a tiny fraction of the local legal industry. Hurdles remain, but interest from outside law firms is expected to grow with corporate dealmakers eyeing more opportunities on the ground.

“Japan’s ‘lost decades’ of the last 20 or 30 years are finally coming to a close,” said Jun Usami, a corporate lawyer who runs White & Case’s Tokyo office. “Foreign investors are more keen on investing in Japan than ...