Takanori Nagatomo, Representative Attorney
Work Experience
Attorney Nagatomo had worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1996 to 2006 as a First level civil officer. While working for the Fisheries Agency in the Ministry, he was mainly in charge of international affairs and attended various international conferences as a member of national representatives such as the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the Russia-Japanese Fisheries Agreement Negotiations, the African Development Council (TICAD), the Atlantic Coast Africa Fisheries Ministerial Conference (COMHAFAT), the North Atlantic Maritime Mammal Committee (NAMMCO). He also worked in the Department of International Affairs of the Ministry as a representative negotiator to conclude the economic partnership agreement with India from 2005 to 2006.
He has deal with not only international issues, but also domestic issues such as divorce, inheritance, business contract, corporate laws. He is also giving services of intellectual properties such as registration of trade mark and patent.
Education
2010 Juris Doctor, Hokkaido University Law School (International Public Law)
2009 Master of Legal Institutions, University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School
2001 Master of International Development, Duke University
1993 Master of Science (Agriculture and Fisheries), Kyushu University
Specialty Areas
International Corporate Law (international business support, international contracts, negotiation, M & A etc.)
International civil and family law (international dispute, international divorce, international inheritance, trouble with foreigners in Japan etc)
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (fishery right issues, union troubles, resource management etc.)
Internet problems (internet slander, harmful reputation, internet defamation)
Intellectual properties (patent, trademark registration)
Organizations, Affiliation Committees of Bar Association
Northern Region Relations Committee of Hokkaido Federation of Bar Associations
International Affairs Committee of Sapporo Bar Association
International Relations Committee of Japan Federation of Bar Associations
Russia Japan Lawyers Council (Founding member)
Accreditation of Support agencies for business innovation (Certification of No. 50 of June 29, 2018)
Activities as Lawyer
Attending St. Petersburg International Legal Forum as a member of the delegation of Japan since 2015.
Participating in mutual exchanges between Sakhalin Bar Association and Hokkaido Federation of Bar Associations since 2015.
Attended the bilateral meeting of Russian Federation of Bar Associations and Japan Federation of Bar Associations in 2017 and 2018.
Working as one of the founding members of Russia Japan Lawyers Council since 2017.
Media Appearance
Posted coverage on Yomiuri Shimbun, Hokkaido shimbun, Suisan Shimbun(Fisheries Newspaper), etc., and appeared in TV programs as a lawyer familiar with international affairs and fisheries.
Radio personality of the program “Kotoni Attorney’s Cafe” of Sankakuyama Radio Station since 2016.
Please inquire for requests for interview, media appearance and seminar lecture.
Hobbies & Skills
Fishing: loves fishing since elementary school student. He is called as a fish professional lawyer.
Kyudo (Japanese archery): He has 5th dan level archer. He won the high school competition in Kumamoto Prefecture and participated in the Inter-high school national competition as the winner of Kumamoto competition. He also won the U.S. National Kyudo Championships in 2000.
Snowboarding: enjoying powder-snow in Hokkaido currently.
Favorite Words
人間万事塞翁が馬(jin kan ban ji sai ou ga uma): the proverb from an old Chinese story which means “inscrutable are the ways of heaven”
About me/Self Introduction
Thank you for visiting the website of Nagatomo International Law Office. I am Takanori Nagatomo, the representative attorney of T&N Nagatomo Law Professional Corporation.
Our firm was established in 2014 as the first international law firm in Hokkaido to focus on international matters, and we have supported many international business owners in Hokkaido. Currently, we have three attorneys in different fields of practice; two litigation attorneys and one patent attorney.
As the world becomes more internationalized especially in the business area, the world is strongly and intricately connected not only in the trade of goods but also the exchange between people.
In fact, the number of inbound people in Japan has increased dramatically in the last ten years, and Japan’s international relations, which used to depend on trade and import/export, are shifting the emphasis to tourism and human interaction. In Hokkaido, many foreigners not only come to Niseko and Furano as tourists, but they have actually started their own businesses and are taking root in their local communities. Nowadays, international investors and tourists are indispensable to the economy of Hokkaido.
To navigate the business successfully in the waves of internationalization, you will need to get the help of legal professionals such as lawyers. In addition to legal expertise, language skills, an international perspective, knowledge of international affairs and communication skills are also important when choosing an appropriate legal professional.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, I worked for private companies in Japan and then worked for ten years at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. While working at MAFF, I worked at many international conferences. I also had opportunities to work for the World Bank and World Resource Institute as an intern.
I have also earned two graduate degrees in the United States, which has given me not only knowledge of Anglo-American and international relations law, but also the opportunity to interact with American and international students and to build an international network. I was supported by local people during my studies in the US and I have never forgotten the kindness I received from them.
Furthermore, as I have been involved in many business and governmental affairs in Russia and China, I have strong networks not only with English-speaking countries, but also with such former communist countries. Therefore, our firm is able to transcend national boundaries.
Through these experiences, I have the desire to help foreign people to make their businesses successful by overcoming their problems in Japan especially in Hokkaido. That is why I decided to establish an “international law firm” here in Sapporo.
It is my great pleasure to help international people in Japan so that they live here comfortably and do business successfully, through supporting Japan’s internationalization.
Mika Nishimura, Attorney
Toshiyuki Tsunemoto, Patent Attorney
- Patent for artificial intelligence (AI) , IoT, IT, computer and software
- International patent and trademark