Masato Hayakawa
Masato Hayakawa is a partner in the Technology Transactions Group of Morrison Foerster’s Tokyo Office. Prior to joining the firm’s Tokyo Office, he practiced in the San Francisco Office for several years. His practice is concentrated on transactions and counseling involving intellectual property, including structuring and negotiating license agreements, technology transfers, adversarial patent litigation settlements, outsourcing arrangements, joint development agreements and other intellectual property matters relevant to technology companies.
Masato is also very experienced in the intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisitions. He advises clients, both emerging and established companies, from a range of industries. For example, Masato has counseled companies in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, semiconductor technology companies, financial institutions, and multinational technology conglomerates. He has extensive experience in cross-border transactions, having worked on major transactions in the United States, Asia, and Europe, and he is fluent in Japanese.
The 2021 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific noted that “In addition to deep experience and unsurpassed knowledge as an IP practitioner, he brings a deal lawyer's approach to the negotiating table.”
Masato has provided legal services on a pro bono basis to a number of non-profit organizations such as The Yale Law Journal, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) of Japan, Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, and HAND (Helping After Neonatal Death). Masato also serves on the Alumni Advisory Board of The Yale Law Journal.
Masato received his A.B. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with highest honors. He earned his J.D. degree from the Yale Law School, where he served as an articles editor of the Yale Journal of International Law and later as managing editor of The Yale Law Journal. Masato is admitted to practice in California and as Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi in Japan.
Experience
Santen’s $225 million acquisition of Eyevance Pharmaceuticals
Represented Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TYO: 4536) in its $225 million acquisition of all outstanding shares of Eyevance Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., a Texas-based distributor of ophthalmological medicines, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Santen.
Ping An Group's US$780 million collaboration with Shionogi
Represented Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China Ltd. in its US$780 million collaboration with Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co., Ltd., to develop and distribute new drugs and healthcare products throughout China and Southeast Asia.
Fujifilm’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Xerox’s 25% stake in Fuji Xerox
Represented Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox, a joint venture between Fujifilm and Xerox, in connection with the acquisition by Fujifilm of Xerox's stake in Fuji Xerox and the related arrangements to use the Xerox brand, cross license technology, and establish a long term procurement and services relationship.
Taisho’s $1.6 billion acquisition of UPSA from Bristol-Myers Squibb
Represented Taisho Pharmaceutical in the purchase of French-based pharmaceutical manufacturer UPSA from Bristol-Myers Squibb for $1.6 billion, including the transfer and licensing of trademarks, marketing authorizations, and other intellectual property.
Renesas’s $6.7 billion acquisition of Integrated Device Technology
Represented Renesas Electronics Corporation on the IP and commercial aspects of its $6.7 billion acquisition of NASDAQ-listed Integrated Device Technology (IDT), a market-leading analog mixed-signal company, to create market-leading embedded solution capabilities.
Elixirgen’s strategic partnership with Ricoh for stem cell-based nano-printing technology
Represented Elixirgen, a Maryland-based biotechnology start-up focused on stem cell related technologies, in its strategic business partnership with Ricoh to co-develop cell-based nano-printing technology to support drug discovery. As part of the partnership agreement, Ricoh will acquire a 34.5% stake in Elixirgen.
Fujitsu’s strategic partnership with Ericsson for next generation 5G telecom networks
Represented Fujitsu in its strategic partnership with Ericsson to develop, manufacture, commercialize and deliver end-to-end 5G network solutions and related services to major telecom service providers.
Nissan’s sale of its electric battery operations and production facilities to Envision Group
Represented Nissan Motor on the IP and commercial aspects of the sale of its electric battery operations and production facilities to Envision Group, a Chinese renewable energy firm. The transaction included the sale of Nissan’s lithium-ion battery joint venture with NEC Corporation, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation, along with Nissan’s battery manufacturing operations in Japan, the U.S. and the UK.
Nissan’s autonomous vehicle collaboration with DeNA
Represented Nissan Motor in its initiative with DeNA to develop, field test, and manufacture self-driving vehicles and launch Easy Ride, a driverless mobility-as-a-service business.
Renesas’s $3.2 billion acquisition of Intersil
Represented Renesas Electronics Corporation on the IP and commercial aspects of its $3.2 billion acquisition of listed U.S. semiconductor developer Intersil Corporation, a leading supplier of semiconductors to the automotive industry.
BiomX in its partnership with Keio University to develop and commercialize new drug candidates
Represented BiomX, an emerging Israeli life sciences company that is developing new drugs for inflammatory bowel disease and cancer, in its exclusive development and commercialization agreement with Keio University to license BiomX to develop pharmaceuticals based on bacterial strains developed by Keio University.
NanoCarrier in its licensing agreement with VBL Therapeutics
Represented NanoCarrier, a Japanese oncology start-up, in its exclusive license and supply agreement with Israeli biopharmaceutical company, VBL Therapeutics, to co-develop and co-commercialize an anticancer therapeutic candidate.
Rankings
Ranked in Japan: M&A
IFLR1000 Asia Pacific 2022
Asia’s Top 15 TMT Lawyers
Asian Legal Business 2021
Ranked in Japan: Intellectual Property (International)
Chambers Global 2024
Ranked in Japan: Intellectual Property (International)
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024
Leading Individual in Japan: TMT (International)
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024
Leading Individual in Japan: Intellectual Property (International)
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024
Recommended for Transactions
IAM Patent 1000 2022-2023