Gaku Ishiwata

Mori Hamada - Japan

Managing Partner

Tokyo

+81-3-5223-7753

Elite Practitioner

Japanese / English


Jurisdiction:

Japan

Practice area:

Corporate and M&A
Private equity


Gaku Ishiwata has led on a wide range of high-profile M&A transactions in Japan, including cross-border M&A, contested transactions, private equity, crisis management, corporate governance and other matters related to corporate law and financial regulations.

He has served as a member of numerous committees established by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Financial Services Agency related to M&A legislation, and has been actively involved in the development of M&A regulations in Japan. He has also focused on fostering future generations, such as being in charge of the M&A legislation course at The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics. In addition to his native language of Japanese, Gaku is fluent in English.

  • Acquisition of Fujitsu General by Paloma Rheem Holdings through TOB(representing Paloma Rheem Holdings)
  • Stock acquisition of TASAKI by FountainVest and Unison​
  • Acquisition of Yaizu Suisankagaku Industry by Inaba Foods through TOB
  • Privatization of Hitachi Transport System by KKR (represented KKR)​
  • Business transfer of professional business by Shiseido (represented Shiseido)​
  • Acquisition of shares in Yayoi by KKR (represented KKR)
  • Represented Kansai Super Market in connection with OK’s unsolicited offer and ​H2O Retailing’s acquisition
  • Represented Kubota in connection with its acquisition of a majority stake of Escorts Limited
  • Represented Kubota and Kverneland in connection with Kverneland’s acquisition of ROC S.r.l
  • Carve-out of personal care business by Shiseido (represented Shiseido)​
  • Represented Invesco Group​ in connection with its acquisition of Invesco Office J-REIT
  • Represented AB Volvo in connection with its sale of UD Trucks to Isuzu Motors from the Volvo group

  • The University of Tokyo (LL.B., 1995)
  • University of Chicago Law School (LL.M., 2001)
  • Davis Polk & Wardwell (2001-2002)
  • Lecturer at Kyoto University Law School (2007-2016)
  • Visiting Professor, The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics (2019-2022)
  • Lecturer at The University of Tokyo Graduate School for Law and Politics (2023-)