- Firm
AsiaWise Group is established as “Cross-Border Professional Firm from Asia.”
AsiaWise is a cross-border multi disciplinary firm focusing on serving clients in the Asian region. We collaborate across Japan, India and Singapore to deliver high quality services to clients keeping in mind local sensitivities and cultural practices. Our roots and our focus is on Asia.
At AsiaWise, we assist our clients in areas of law, intellectual property and risk management. Our team has worked across businesses, practice areas and countries to provide actionable resolution to complex business problems. The services we offer are innovative, effective and tailor made to client needs.
Unlike traditional network firms, our professionals work as a single integrated team, allowing clients to focus on business, while we anticipate, manage and resolve their needs. As a cross-border Firm, we strive to act as a bridge between regions.
Asiawise is a coined word combining Asia and -wise. This word represents our wish to harmonize Asian wisdom. Asia was never one and will not be one. However, because of the differences we have, we can encounter other values, and we can create synergies. AsiaWise Group hopes to realize a society, where people are connected beyond borders, where mutual understanding and respect is cherished between “you” and “us.” While keeping our aspiration high, we are committed to provide professional service in our daily practice.
We realize the following values as the first Asian cross-border law firm
- Professional
- professional practitioner, and professional management - Diverse
- value our difference. Asia was never one, and will not be one, but our difference will create strength, i.e., “wise” - Innovative
- be a creative pioneer in the legal industry
- engaged in the exciting and challenging works
We contribute to an integration of the economies, nation states and people for Asia from the legal aspect
- For the interests of clients: providing the best cross-border legal service to the clients doing cross-border business
- For the interests of legal community: developing a new career path for lawyers as legal expert for cross-border legal issues
- For the interests of society at large: contributing to the development of the Asian legal architecture
- Professional
- MembersAW consists of Professionals in various areas
Co-Founders
Kotaro Kubo
Cross Border Lawyer
Representative of Japan Office, Co-Founder of AsiaWise Group
Kotaro Kubo has been located abroad for nine years (U.S.A., India, and Singapore). With his professional experience, he specializes in matters related to India, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries, which include M&A, crisis management (compliance work), and dispute matters.
Admitted
Japan (2001)
Registered Foreign Lawyer in Singapore (2011)Education
Keio University, LL.B. (1999)
Columbia University School of Law, LL.M. (2008)Professional Experience
2001 Joined Nishimura & Asahi
2008-2009 Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, New York
2009-2010 Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A.Shroff & Co., New Delhi
2010-2011 MITSUI & CO. (ASIA PACIFIC) PTE LTD., Singapore
2012-2016 Co-representative of Nishimura & Asahi's Singapore Office
2017 Left Nishimura & Asahi2018- Established AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English (Hindi but थोड़ा थोड़ा )
Yoshinori Oku
Cross Border IP Expert
Co-Founder of AsiaWise Group
Yoshinori Oku has been located abroad for 5 years (India and Singapore). With his professional experience, he specializes in matters related to India and ASEAN which include Patent prosecution, Design prosecution, Trade Mark prosecution, Patent litigation, Raid Action.
Education
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering (2000)
Other Professional Experience
2000-2005 Join Matsushita Electric Industrial Corporation (present Panasonic Co. Ltd.); Intellectual Property Development Center
2006-2011 License Center of Panasonic headquarter
2012 Establishment of felicite Patent Professional Corporation
2013 Establishment of felicite IP consulting India Pvt Ltd
2013 Establishment of felicite IP consulting Singapore Pte Ltd
2018 Establishment of AsiaWise Group
Work Highlights
Patent, Design, Trade Mark Prosecution and Patent, Design, Trade Mark Litigation
Language
Japanese, English
Nitin Wadhwa
Chair of India Practice
Supreme Court of India Bar Association
Bar Council of DelhiCo-Founder of AsiaWise Group
Mr. Wadhwa has over twelve years of professional experience in cross border mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate financings, private equity transactions, joint ventures, securities & commercial litigation, corporate governance and risk management. Mr. Wadhwa has originated and lead complex transactions as well as advised clients on managing & resolving disputes. Before setting up Wadhwa Law Offices, he worked with the associate office of Jones Day in India.
Clerkships
Law Clerk to Justice P. P Naolekar of the Supreme
Court of India
Education
Pune University – BSL. LLB
Professional Experience
2006 Joined Associate Office of Jones Day
2016 Founding Partner Wadhwa Law Offices
2018 Became Associate Firm of AsiaWise
Language
English, Hindi & Punjabi
Other Members
Kohei Yamazaki
AsiaWise Group, GRC Team Leader
AsiaWise Digital Consulting & Advocacy K.K. Director
Certified Public Accountant(Japan)
Kohei Yamazaki is a Japanese certified public accountant(CPA) with over ten years of professional experience in Governance Risk & Compliance(GRC) area. Kohei has extensive experience for multinational companies in statutory financial audit, international tax advisory services and risk advisory services such as enhancement corporate governance project, forensic accounting, factory quality audit, global internal audit project, Bribery audit, and China regulatory technology project in Big4 accounting firms.
Education
Keio University, B.A.(Policy Management) (2004)
Tsinghua University Chinese Language Program(2012-2013)
Professional Experience
2007-2012 KPMG AZSA LLC
2013-2015 PwC Tax Japan
2015-2016 PricewaterhouceCoopers Consultants(Shenzhen)Limited,Shanghai Branch
2017-2021 Deloitte Touch tohmatsu LLC
2021 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English, Chinese (Mandarin)Deepayan Das
Partner of Associate Firm in India
Bar Council of Delhi
Deepayan has over ten years of professional experience and focuses and specializes in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, private equity and general corporate matters. Deepayan has experience in representing both, buy and sell side in transactions and regularly advises and counsels board of directors, senior management and owners of international and domestic companies on corporate governance, new policy, and strategic initiatives as well as corporate social responsibility. Before co-founding Wadhwa Law Offices, Deepayan has worked with leading international and domestic law firms.
Education
NALSAR University of Law (B.A. LL.B (Hons))
Professional Experience
2008 Joined Associate office of Jones Day
2011 Joined AZB & Partners
2016 Founding Partner Wadhwa Law Offices
2018 Became Associate Firm of AsiaWise
Language
English, Hindi, Oriya & Tamil
Adarsh G
Wadhwa Law Offices, Bangalore office
Chair of PE & VC Practice in India
Bar Council of DelhiAdarsh is a senior member of Wadhwa Law Offices and heads Bangalore office and the Private Equity & Venture Capital practice in India. Adarsh has over eight years of professional experience and focuses on venture capital funding; strategic investments; domestic and inbound acquisitions; regulatory and technology matters. Before joining Wadhwa Law Offices, Adarsh has worked with leading international and domestic law firms.
Education
NALSAR University of Law (B.A. L.L.B (Hons))Professional Experience
2008 Joined India Associate Office of Jones Day
2014 Joined SAMVĀD: Partners
2019 Joined Wadhwa Law Offices. Set up Bangalore officeLanguage
English, Hindi & Kannada
Yoshinori Sato
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Yoshinori Sato has eight years of experience as a lawyer. He worked at a middle size law firm in Tokyo before he joined us. He will be seconded to Wadhwa Law Offices (associate firm of AsiaWise Group in India) in Delhi/Gurugram this year and will work exclusively on the Indian matters.
Admitted
Japan (2010)
Education
Tohoku University, LL.B. (2004)
Tokyo Metropolitan University, J.D. (2009)Professional Experience
2010 Joined domestic law firm in Tokyo
2019 Joined AsiaWise GroupLanguage
Japanese, English
Mitsuhisa Watanabe
Data Practice Leader
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Mitsuhisa Watanabe previously worked in law offices which focused on corporate dispute resolution and general corporate law including M&A. His court experience includes handling litigation, provisional attachment, provisional dispositions, bankruptcy and liquidation, and tax litigation. He is also engaged in legal issues regarding data business and AI.
Admitted
Japan (2012)
Education
Kyoto University, LL.B. (2008)
Kyoto University School of law, J.D. (2011)
Professional Experience
2012-2019 Joined law firms in Tokyo
2019 Joined AsiaWise GroupLanguage
Japanese, English
Miki Fujita
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Miki Fujita has represented international and domestic clients in litigation and arbitration with respect to transactions between Japanese companies and foreign companies, among others, located in Southeast Asian countries and African countries.
Based on the experience above, she specializes in international commercial litigation and arbitration as well as dispute avoidance with respect to transactions between Japanese companies and foreign companies, among others, located in Southeast Asian countries and African countries.
Admitted
Japan (2001)
Education
2001 The University of Tokyo (LL.B.)
2007 Duke University School of Law (LL.M.)
Professional Experience
2001 Joined Nishimura & Asahi
2004-2006 Deputy Secretary-General of the Japan Association of Arbitrators
2005-2006 Deputy Secretary-General of the ADR Center of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations
2007-2008 Seconded to Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, New York
2013 Partner at Nishimura & Asahi
2018 Left Nishimura & Asahi
2019 Joined AsiaWise, Incorporation of a company for legal-tech services
Language
Japanese, English
Ravi Prakash
Wadhwa Law Offices, Tax Team, Of Counsel
Supreme Court Bar Association
Delhi High Court Bar Association
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
Ravi is a dual qualified (chartered accountant and lawyer) legal and tax professional with over 35 years’ experience in legal, financial, accounting and tax matters. Ravi has vast experience in assisting clients across a variety of sectors and industries including telecommunications, IT, ITeS, healthcare, banking and financial services. Ravi has advised and represented many overseas corporations, multi-national companies, public and private companies, law firms, accounting firms, PE investors, FIIs/FPIs etc. on income-tax matters, tax planning, tax management, litigation support, transaction tax advisory (including corporate and business structuring, mergers, de-mergers, joint ventures, disinvestments), succession planning, personal tax, corporate law and compliances, accounting and disclosures, white collar crimes, accounting and fraud investigations etc.
Education
Chartered Accountancy (1985)
LL.B. (2007)
Professional Experience
1990 Head – Tax, Max India Limited, New Delhi
2003 Head–Knowledge Management, PwC, Delhi
2007 Senior Partner, AZB & Partner, New Delhi
2021 Of Counsel, Wadhwa Law Offices
Associates
(alphabetical order)
Mugiko Ashiwa
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Mugiko Ashiwa has two years of experience as a judge at a district court in Japan. She decided to change her career path to be a cross border lawyer and has registered as a lawyer in 2018. Currently she works on general corporate matters such as M&A, JV and crisis management issues at our Tokyo office.
Admitted
Japan (2018)
Education
Keio University, LL.B. (2012)
Keio University Law School, J.D. (2014)
Professional Experience
2016-2018 an Assistant Judge at Gifu District Court
2018 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English, German (Swiss German)
Guangjia Justin Jiang
Leader, Team Greater China
Tokyo Office
Guangjia Justin Jiang is a legal professional with experience in transactional law in jurisdictions including Japan, China PR, and the state of New York. At AsiaWise Legal, he strives to change the game for cross-border entrepreneurs under the motif - why "play away" when we can "play home" across the globe with the right-minded legal support.
Education
Nagoya University, LL.B. (2019)
New York University, Visiting Scholar (2017-18)
Language
Japanese, English, Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese)Haruka Koga
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Haruka Koga worked at legal department of Kansai Electric Power Co.,Inc. as an in-house lawyer and engaged in overseas investment projects. She decided to join AsiaWise Group in order to experience more cross-border projects and assist Japanese companies.
Admitted
Japan (2018)
Education
Osaka University, LL.B. (2014)
Osaka University Law School, J.D. (2016)
Professional Experience
2018-2020 Joined Kansai Electric Power Co.,Inc.
2020 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English
Shogo Matsumura
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Shogo Matsumura worked at a middle size law firm in Tokyo as a lawyer. He determined to be a cross border lawyer and begun to work at our Tokyo office since 2019. Currently he works on general corporate matters.
Admitted
Japan (2017)
Education
Waseda University, LL.B. (2014)
Waseda University Law School, J.D. (2016)
Professional Experience
2018-2019 Joined law firm in Tokyo
2019 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English
Masaki Nakatsuka
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Masaki Nakatsuka worked at a law firm in Tokyo as a lawyer and was mainly responsible for a wide range of litigation cases in Japan.
He joined AsiaWise Group in order to realize his long-cherished dream to be a cross border lawyer especially in the field of Asia. Now, he handles projects that support Japanese companies doing business with Asian and other overseas companies. Also involved in the legal tech company Lisse Inc.
Admitted
Japan (2018)
Education
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, LL.B. (2007)
University of Tokyo, School of Law, J.D. (2011)
Professional Experience
2018-2020 Joined law firm in Tokyo
2020 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English
Sosaku Nitta
Paralegal
Gurgaon Office
Sosaku Nitta passed the Japanese national bar exam and started his carrier in a global accounting firm in India. He has experience in the field of accounting, audit, Corporate Law and other regulations, corporate tax, individual tax, GST, customs, transfer pricing, liquidation, and M&A. He decided to join AsiaWise Group from 2021 seeking for a work place where he can support clients in cross border matters by utilizing his legal and accounting knowledge of Japan as well as India.
Education
Kyoto University, LL.B.(2017)
Hitotsubashi University Law School, J.D. (2019)
Language
Japanese, English
Yosuke Tanaka
Cross Border IP Expert
Yosuke Tanaka has ten years of experience in Intellectual Property, both in-house and firm in Japan and Singapore. He focuses on patent drafting, patent search, IP portfolio management in Southeast Asia and India. He has experiences especially in technical fields of mechanics, electronics, information and communication technology (ICT).
Education
Kyoto University, Bachelor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (2004)
Kyoto University, Master in Electronics Engineering (2006)
National University of Singapore, Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (2011)
Professional Experience
2006 Joined Philips Intellectual Property & Standard (Japan)
2011 Joined Patrick Mirandah Co. (Currently known as Mirandah Asia) (Singapore)
2014 Joined Spruson & Ferguson (Singapore)
2019 Joined AsiaWise Group
Language
Japanese, English
Yuhei Yokoyama
Cross Border Lawyer
Tokyo Office
Yuhei Yokoyama has professionally experienced as a lawyer in a law firm in Tokyo and he has been seconded to a consulting firm, Corporate Catalyst India (CCI), in 2018. Currently he works on cross-border issues mainly in India including setting up, compliances and other corporate consultancies for Japanese companies in India at our Tokyo office.
Admitted
Japan (2017)
Education
Keio University, LL.B. (2012)
Keio University Law School, J.D. (2015)
Professional Experience
2017 Joined law firm in Tokyo
2018 Joined AsiaWise Group and seconded to Corporate Catalyst India
2019 Started working at our Tokyo office
Language
Japanese, English
