TOKYO (April 1, 2013) – Morrison & Foerster today announced that Kenji P. Taneda, a highly regarded capital markets lawyer, has joined the firm as a corporate partner in its Tokyo office.
Mr. Taneda has played a significant role in a number of the most important capital markets transactions in Japan in recent years, including acting as issuer's counsel on the largest IPO in 2012 and as underwriters' counsel on the largest IPO in 2011. He has represented issuers and underwriters on numerous debt and equity offerings, including in new growth areas such as hybrid debt offerings by Japan's major insurance companies. He also has significant experience advising on both public and private M&A transactions.
"We've worked across the table from Kenji on numerous transactions over the years, and know him to be a superb attorney," said Ken Siegel, Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster's Tokyo office. "He is one of the most accomplished young lawyers in Tokyo. His extensive capital markets experience will further strengthen our practice in this key area and enhance our ability to provide our clients here and around the world with the highest levels of service."
"Morrison & Foerster is the dominant international law firm in Japan, and its market-leading corporate practice has no rival when it comes to handling the most significant transactions in Japan and the region," Mr. Taneda said. "I'm very pleased to be joining a firm where I know my practice can thrive."
Mr. Taneda's recent notable transactions include:
- Serving as U.S. counsel to Japan Airlines in its $8.5 billion global IPO
- Serving as U.S. counsel to Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in a $3 billion senior notes offering
- Serving as U.S. counsel to Nippon Prologis REIT, Inc. in its $1.08 billion global IPO
- Serving as U.S. counsel to underwriters in $1.3 billion global IPO of GLP J-REIT
- Serving as U.S. counsel to underwriters in $1.2 billion global IPO of Nexon Co., Ltd.
- Serving as U.S. counsel to underwriters in five senior notes offerings by Japan Finance Corporation since 2011 for $1.25 billion; $2 billion; $2 billion; $1.5 billion; and C$500 million
- Serving as U.S. counsel to the issuers or underwriters in the following hybrid debt offerings since 2011: $1.3 billion offering by The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Ltd.; $1.3 billion offering by Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited; $2.0 billion offering by Nippon Life Insurance Company; and $1.4 billion offering by Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.
- Serving as U.S. counsel to underwriters in a $2.25 billion global IPO of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Serving as U.S. counsel to INPEX Corporation in a $6 billion global equity offering
- Advising Panasonic Corporation in its acquisition of the outstanding minority interests in its subsidiaries SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. and Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
- Advising Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in certain aspects of its Japanese securities business joint ventures with Morgan Stanley, and in a separate deal to acquire the outstanding minority interests in UnionBanCal Corporation
Mr. Taneda joins Morrison & Foerster from the Tokyo office of Sullivan & Cromwell, where he was a special counsel. He was the only lawyer listed among "Associates to Watch" for capital markets in Japan in each of the two the most recent Chambers Global and Chambers Asia guides.
Mr. Taneda received his J.D. from Columbia University, where he was a Kent Scholar, and received his D.E.S.S. granted jointly by the Sciences-Po and the University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne. He is admitted to practice in Japan as a Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi.
At Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Taneda joins the largest international law firm in Japan, with 125 lawyers in its Tokyo office. The firm has worked on some of the largest Japanese M&A deals in recent years – including advising SoftBank in its $20.1 billion acquisition of a 70 percent stake in Sprint-Nextel announced late last year (The largest US M&A deal of 2012 and the largest outbound acquisition from Japan ever).
Morrison & Foerster has been recognized by Chambers Asia Pacific 2012 in more Band 1 practice rankings (and more Band 1 and leading individual lawyers) than any other international firm in Japan. It is the only global firm ranked Band 1 for M&A in Japan by Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, PLC Which Lawyer?, IFLR 1000, and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. Bloomberg ranked the practice #1 in M&A volume among international law firms in Tokyo 2006-2010 and Morrison & Foerster was named the Firm of the Year by Asian-Counsel 2011 Edition for Capital Markets & Intellectual Property.