Nishimura & Asahi

We are delighted to announce that Tokyo partner Hitomi Iwase has been selected for Managing IP's list of Top 250 Women in IP 2026. This is the fourth consecutive year in which she has been selected for this honor. Read more on our website here: https://lnkd.in/gQfcjdiF

We advised global investment firm Carlyle on its take-private acquisition of Nippon Dry-Chemical Co., Ltd., conducted via a joint tender offer with ALSOK Co., Ltd. The team was led by Tokyo partners Hiroshi Uchima and Keitaro Hamada from our corporate/M&A practice, and Toshiyuki Nonaka from our finance practice. Read the official notice on our website: https://lnkd.in/gxgVGHFT

On June 29, 2026, the IP High Court of Japan issued a rare call for amicus curiae briefs in a patent infringement lawsuit involving Amitiza® (lubiprostone), a chronic constipation drug. The case raises critical questions about the technical scope of medical use inventions and the extent to which patent term extension registration extends to generic drugs with different dosage strengths. The IP High Court’s decision is expected to significantly shape future pharmaceutical patent practice in Japan. Amicus briefs are due by Sept. 30, 2026. Read the full article here on the key issues: https://lnkd.in/g8GCQTQH Author: Yoko Kasai

We are pleased to announce that Walalangi & Partners (in association with Nishimura & Asahi) Jakarta has been awarded as Elite 1 – Practice Leaders across 14 practice areas at the prestigious Hukumonline Awards 2026, presented by Indonesia's leading legal directory, Hukumonline, and held at Raffles Hotel Jakarta on June 19, 2026. We were also ranked in the Top 50 Largest Full-Service Firms 2026. To see the full list of catagories, please see here: https://lnkd.in/gTm-RwHG

We are pleased to share that Nishimura & Asahi has been ranked No. 1 in APAC and No. 4 globally as a company-side legal adviser in Bloomberg’s H1 2026 Global Activism League Tables. In addition, we are ranked No. 8 globally as a company-side legal adviser in LSEG’s H1 2026 Global Shareholder Activism League Tables. We are proud to be the only Asia-based law firm recognized in the global rankings of both league tables. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gf4Qin-s

On April 7, 2026, the government issued Decree No. 137/2026/ND-CP on the management of multi-level marketing activities ("Decree 137"), which will become effective on July 1, 2026. 2 Decree 137 replaces Decree No. 40/2018/ND-CP (as amended by Decree No. 18/2023/ND-CP) (“Decree 40” and “Decree 18”) as the primary instrument governing multi-level marketing in Vietnam, and represents the most significant overhaul of Vietnam's multi-level marketing regulatory framework in nearly a decade.  Our newsletter covers the key changes in the new decree, read more here: https://lnkd.in/dys5AVZX Authors: Le Bang VU and Phan Thi Nhat Phuong

The International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) has approved revised Arbitration Rules, effective June 1, 2026 for arbitrations commenced on or after that date. Building on the 2021 Rules, the revisions respond directly to user concerns around delay, cost, and procedural complexity in international arbitration. The changes are evolutionary rather than radical but they are targeted and practical. This update summarizes the key reforms and their implications for clients. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gzd3dHUb Author: James Rix

We are pleased to release the latest Asia Legal Update, covering legal news and updates for the 1st quarter of 2026 (as of the end of March 2026) for Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Read the full newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gWQFxbjE Authors: Hiroki Kaga, Aya Okada, Won Yoon, Cuiping Zhang, Wenxian Cai, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sheng-Chieh (Jeffrey) Chang, Yen-Lun Huang, Jeanne Elisabeth Donauw, Hans Adiputra Kurniawan, Wan May Leong, Ryan Heng, Tomoko Nakashima, Michelle Marie Villarica, Steffi Sales, Melissa Tan, Su Xian Chin, Jirapong Sriwat, Apinya Sarntikasem, Le Bang VU, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, Imaizumi Isamu, Taeko Suzuki, Avantika Kulshrestha, Alex Koshy, Masao Morishita, Ayush Sharma, Takanobu Yamamoto, Zahra Aziz, Taro Hirosawa, and Nanami Fujioka.

Our previous newletter in this tax series mentioned the conditions for computation of employee remuneration when determining the substance-based income exclusion. This installment will describe the regulatory requirements for computation of tangible asset values for purposes of determining the substance-based income exclusion. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g5sRx8Ex Read our last newsletter in this series here: https://lnkd.in/gChwCjyb Authors: Budhima Kerdsiri and Hatairat Sukprasert

In January 2026, four divisions of the Intellectual Property Division of the Tokyo District Court jointly released the “Procedural Guidelines for Patent Infringement Litigation Based on Standard Essential Patents” (“SEP Litigation Guidelines”) followed by the “Procedural Guidelines for SEP Judicial Mediation (SEPJM)” or (“SEP Judicial Mediation Guidelines” or “SEPJM”). Together, these guidelines represent ambitious institutional efforts to position Japanese courts as a hub for global SEP dispute resolution, with a strong emphasis on settlement-oriented proceedings and the determination of Global FRAND Royalty Rates. In light of recent precedents and these new procedural frameworks, SEP holders may find strategic value in pursuing litigation in Japan. Our newsletter covers procedural guidelines, key precedents, and the practical implications. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gBRAXhXP Authors: Gai Matsushita and Keiichiro Akita