Profile
Koichiro Ohashi is Co-Chair of the Japan Practice and focuses his practice on representing clients in a variety of financial matters, including cross-border and domestic banking, capital market transactions e.g. establishment of sponsored American Deposit Receipt programs, fund and investment management matters (private equities, hedge funds and REITs), and corporate matters (especially in mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring transactions). He is experienced in the Japanese domestic market and represents both Japanese and international financial institutions on numerous types of financial transactions, such as syndicated loans, securitization transactions, derivative transactions, PIPE transactions, mezzanine finance transactions and equity finance transactions.
Koichiro advises various international and domestic fund managers for private equities, hedge funds, and real estate funds in the registration of funds for distribution in Japan and frequently provides advice on the structure of both domestic and offshore funds to be distributed to Japanese investors. He also advises Japanese trust banks and pension funds on their investments into foreign funds and foreign investment regulations.
Koichiro advises clients on various financial regulatory matters, such as Japanese capital markets regulations including the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law, the Investment Trust Management Law, the Banking Law and the Insurance Business Law. He also represents foreign clients in applying for financial business licenses in Japan, such as Type 1 securities broker/dealer licenses, investment manager licenses and financial instrument exchange license. Recently he frequently advises global Fintech companies on Japanese Fintech regulations.
Koichiro also represents various clients in corporate matters, especially mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate restructuring transactions. Due to his client base, he frequently represents private equity clients in merger transactions. Also, because of his wide-ranging work involving Japanese laws and regulations governing the financial industry, he has represented foreign clients in acquiring Japanese financial institutions (such as licensed investment managers, brokers and FX brokers). He has also represented creditors in major Japanese insolvency cases in Japanese insolvency proceeding and U.S. Chapter 15 proceeding.
In recent years, Koichiro has been deeply involved in a variety of investments, joint ventures, and acquisitions within the life sciences sector. He also advises life science startups as they navigate their entry into the U.S. market.
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented a US futures exchange in obtaining foreign clearinghouse organization license from Japanese FSA (2016).
- Acted as special Japanese counsel for a major Chinese Fintech company in joint venture with a Japanese major mileage program company (2016).
- Advised a Japanese major insurance company in programming an investment program with US major securities firm (2016).
- Advised a Japanese asset manager in offering an investment partnership (preferred /subordinated class) (2016).
- Advised various general partners in filing amendments to Article 63 Notification (2016).
- Represented a major Japanese trust bank for their proprietary account in investing in an infrastructure private equity fund managed by a major Australian manager (2015).
- Represented a major Japanese trust bank for a major Japanese pension funding investing in an infrastructure private equity fund managed by a major Australian manager (2015).
- Advised a UK FinTech companies re. cash management business in Japan (2015).
- Represented a major Japanese trust bank acting as trustee to auto loan securitization projects originated by a German automobile group’s financial subsidiary (2015).
- Represented Cyberdine to launch Level 1 Sponsored ADR Program (2015).
- Represented Western Union to obtain money transfer business registration in Japan (2015).
- Represented a major Japanese trust bank for a major Japanese pension fund in investing in a real estate fund of funds managed by a major Australian manager (2015).
- Acted as lender’s counsel on a leverage finance with respect to merger of a global private trading system operator (2015).
- Represented a major Japanese trust bank for a major Japanese pension fund in investing in an infrastructure private equity fund managed by a major US manager (2015).
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers and Partners FinTech Guide, 2019-2024
- Notable Practitioner, 2019-2020
- Listed, Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide
- Band 3 - Investment Funds: Bengoshi, 2024
- Band 3 - Capital Markets: Domestic (Japan), 2017 and 2023
- Team Member, a Law360 “Hospitality Practice Group of the Year,” 2021
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in Japan, 2009-2025
- Capital Markets Law, 2017-2025
- Investment and Investment Funds, 2009-2025
- Banking and Finance Law, 2024-2025
- Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2024-2025
- Private Equity, 2024-2025
- Private Funds and Venture Capital Law, 2024-2025
- Listed, Chambers Global, Capital Markets: Domestic (Japan), 2014-2016
- Listed, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Guide, Structured Finance, 2014
- Listed, The Best Lawyers International, 2009
- Member, Daini Tokyo Bar Association
- Board Member, Futures Industry Association-Japan, President & Representative Director
- Board Member, NPO HumanRights Now, Advisory Board
- Member, ACCJ (The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan)
Credentials
- LL.M., Columbia Law School, 2001
- LL.B., Keio University Law School, 1989
- Japan
- New York
- Japanese
- English
News, Insights & Events
Koichiro is a contributor to GT's Financial Services Observer Blog 