AI Magazine Issue 1 2017

Acquisition International - January 2017 29 Japan’s Gaming Reform We plan to provide legal advice to our clients who are interested in this major change in the gaming/ gambling legislation by collectively utilising our rich experience not only in gaming law but in every other aspect, some of which are as outlined below: Government projects Anderson Mori & Tomotsunes’s Private Financial Initiatives team has been involved in a large number of government projects as advisors to various stake holders, including the lenders, investors, sponsors and state agencies. We also have a very strong relationship with the Japanese government, having former senior government officials as Of Counsels and seconding lawyers to various government ministries and agencies assisting these agencies in the rule making and its implementation. Foreign investment joint ventures Assisting foreign clients establishing and operating JVs in Japan is and has been one of our specialised areas of expertise as evidenced from our historical background. We have represented numerous clients in various sectors (including ground- breaking JV projects in the leisure industry such as those by Warner Brothers and Sheraton) enter the Japanese market by forming a JV with a local Japanese partner. Real estate acquisition/development We provide assistance in a broad range of real estate activities, including the sale and purchase, commercial leasing, and large scale real estate development. Our real estate practices are ranked as Band 1 by Chambers, being cited as a firm which “maintains its excellent reputation as a go-to firm for domestic real estate matters, and handles acquisitions and sales, development, leasing and REIT structuring. It recently advised Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Marriott International on every stage of the process in establishing a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Kyoto”. Our excellent reputation in the market has been further affirmed by Asian Legal Business, being honoured with the ‘Real Estate Deal of the Year’ award countless times. Leisure facility management/operation We have extensive experience across various aspects of the leisure industry, including acquisition, management and operation matters, having provided advice in major projects such as a U.S. based fund‘s acquisition of a mega-resort in the Kyushu area; advising a number of foreign investors in the acquisition of major hotels; advising a major international hotel management group in relation to management of hotels in Japan; and also advising the most successful theme park in the country on a regular basis. Tax planning We regularly provide tax advises on complex cross-border and domestic transactions, and our foremost objective is to structure transactions in a tax efficient and solution-oriented manner. We frequently advise on transfer pricing, controlled foreign corporation taxation and tax treaty interpretation matters. Our international tax planning advice ranges from contract drafting to the establishment, documentation and defence of transfer pricing policies. We also frequently advise investors on the tax-advantageous use of collective investment vehicles.