
Masaaki Sawano
- Admitted
- 1985, Japan
- masaaki.sawano@city-yuwa.com
- Languages
- Japanese/English

Practices
- General Corporate
- Corporate Governance / Shareholders Meetings
- Real Estate Transactions
- Real Estate Dispute
- Bankruptcy and Restructuring
- General Civil Practice
- Arbitration, Mediation and other ADRs
- Commercial Litigation
- Debt Collection and Enforcement
- Family Law
- General Consultations on Personnel and Labor Matters
- Labor Litigation and Arbitration
- Cross-Border Transactions
- Foreign Direct Investment
- International Litigation
- International Arbitration
- Crisis Management
- Corporate Criminal Matters / Government Investigations
- Compliance and Internal Control
- Whistle Blowing and Grievance
- Asia Practice
Professional Background / Education
Professional Background
- 1988-1990
- Masaaki Sawano Law Office
- 1990-2003
- Tokyo City Law & Tax Partners
- 1992-1993
- Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, New York and Paris (Visiting Attorney)
- 1993
- Court of Arbitration of International Chamber of Commerce, Paris (Trainee)
- 2003 to Present
- City-Yuwa Partners
Education
- 1978
- Waseda University (LL.B.)
- 1985
- Legal Training and Research Institute
- 1992
- Columbia Law School (LL.M.)
Professional Activities / Accolades
External Auditor of Public Interest Incorporated Association HOKKAIDO CLUB (2022-present)
Director, The Japan Bar Association (2021-present)
External Auditor of the Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants' Associations (2019-present)
Member of the Kanto Local Council on National Properties, Kanto Local Finance Bureau of the Ministry of Finance (2019-present)
Chairperson of the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Management Committee (2019-present)
Member, Business Evaluation Monitoring Committee, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) (2018-present)
Outside Director, CHORI CO., LTD (2017-present)
Vice President of Japan Federation of Bar Association (2017-2018)
President of Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association (2017-2018)
Member, International Insolvency Institute (2015-present)
Member, Sectional Committee on Rent, Fundamental Management Issues Conference, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) (2014-present)
Member, Fundamental Management Issues Conference, Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) (2010-present)
Executive Vice President, The Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association (2006-2007)
Executive Governor, Japan Federation of Bar Associations (2006-2007)
Chapter Director, Japan Chapter of the East Asian Association of Insolvency & Restructuring
Member, Management Lawyers Council Japan
Member, Japan Association of Corporate Executives (KEIZAI DOYUKAI)
- General CorporateCrisis Management / Compliance
- Served as an internal investigation committee member on the responsibility of the former director of the non-life insurance company during the corporate reorganization proceeding.
- Bankruptcy and Restructuring
- Appointed as a trustee in the corporate reorganization proceedings for THE JAPAN GENERAL ESTATE CO., LTD. (debt: 197.5 billion yen). In addition, served as receiver's agent and petitioned for commencement of corporate reorganization proceedings in many reorganization cases.
- Appointed as a bankruptcy trustee for Opti Factor Co., Ltd. and seven Group companies (operations related to the issuance of corporate bonds backed by claims for medical fees, etc.) (total debt: 22.7 billion yen). In addition, appointed as the bankruptcy trustee in many bankruptcy proceedings and petitioned for commencement of bankruptcy proceedings for many companies.
- Appointed as a supervisor of the civil rehabilitation proceedings for WithOne Company Limited (total debt: 2.52 billion yen). In addition, appointed as the supervisor in many civil rehabilitation proceedings and petitioned for commencement of many civil rehabilitation proceedings.
- Served as a court appointed liquidator for liquidation with the Tokyo branch closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland Plc. As well, appointed as the liquidator with closure of the Tokyo branches of many foreign banks.
- Negotiated a contract with reconstruction company Japan Airlines Corporation for Sabre Group, Inc. (U.S. travel agent)
- Served as the attorney of the liquidator in Japan under SIPA of Lehman Brothers Inc. (U.S. securities firm).
- General CorporateKorea Practice
- Conducted legal investigations and negotiations for a listed company in South Korea regarding the acquisition of a company listed on the former First Section of TSE during the corporate reorganization process by a major listed company in South Korea (manufacturer).
- General Corporate
- Acting for several listed companies and investment funds in advising on the submission of reports on large holdings.
- M&A
- Advised a listed company on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange on the withdrawal of its businesses through privatization using all the shares listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange.
- Acted for a listed company in connection with a capital and business alliance with a listed real estate company by the company listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- Provided due diligence and legal advice for the Sponsor Bit for rehabilitation company Elpida Memory, Inc. for SK hynix Inc. (Korean manufacturing)
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Books“Practice Q&A for Real Estate Lease Agreement in Response to Amendment of the Law of Obligation”Masaaki Sawano Keisuke Ide Ken Takii Kiyoshi Asada Yuichi Maruyama ...January 2018Practices : Real Estate Fund and REIT Real Estate Finance Real Estate Transactions Real Estate Dispute Bankruptcy and Restructuring ...
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Articles“Bankruptcy Trustee Conference 2011 at Tokyo District Court – Bankruptcy and Setoff”Masaaki SawanoSeptember 2012Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
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Articles“Verification of Debtor-in-Possession Corporate Reorganization II -The Japan General Estate Co., Ltd. Case (Series 3) Sponsor Selection and Various Issues over Reorganization Plan”Masaaki Sawano Kiyoshi AsadaJuly 2011Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
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Articles“Verification of Debtor-in-Possession Corporate Reorganization II -The Japan General Estate Co., Ltd. Case (Series 2) Responsibility for Management and Alternation of Securities”Masaaki Sawano Yukihiro Takumi Kiyoshi AsadaJune 2011Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
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Articles“Verification of Debtor-in-Possession Corporate Reorganization II -The Japan General Estate Co., Ltd. Case (Series 1) Corporate Reorganization of the Japan General Estate Co., Ltd.”Masaaki SawanoJune 2011Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
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Books“New Bankruptcy Act Essential”Masaaki SawanoJanuary 2004Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
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Books“Lawyers’ Practices – Civil – Contract and Corporate Cases”Masaaki SawanoJanuary 2002Practices : General Corporate
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Books“Lawyers’ Practices–Rehabilitation and Insolvency”Masaaki SawanoJanuary 2002Practices : Bankruptcy and Restructuring
- City-Yuwa Partners and our lawyers are recommended in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025. (January 19, 2025)
- City-Yuwa Partners and our lawyers are recommended in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024. (January 19, 2024)
- City-Yuwa Partners and our lawyers are recommended in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023. (January 11, 2023)
- The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 has recommended City-Yuwa Partners in the 8 areas, and further recommended our 6 lawyers. (January 18, 2021)
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May 1, 2024Notices
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April 1, 2017Pro Bono
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October 28, 2014Others
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April 1, 2005Media