Kazuya Yamashita
Partner
- Lawyer (Tokyo office)
Solicitor admitted in England & Wales
Kazuya Yamashita’s main areas of practice are maritime law, logistics, M&A, international transactions, insolvency (including civil rehabilitation, private restructuring and acting as bankruptcy trustee), advising on the conduct of shareholders’ meetings, and corporate litigation. He also has experience being seconded to the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, where he was involved in drafting legislative amendments to the Companies Act (2014), Limitation of Shipowner Liability Act (2015), the Commercial Code and the International Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (2018). Using this experience and his experience gained from studying and training in the United Kingdom, Germany and Singapore as well as his qualification of Solicitor in England and Wales, Kazuya provides advice on the specialist areas of maritime law, logistics and international transactions.
Professional History
| 1987 | Born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Passed Bar exam |
| 2009 | Graduated from Kobe University faculty of Law |
| 2010 | Completed legal training; registered as a lawyer; joined Higashimachi LPC |
| 2014〜2016 | Seconded to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice (engaged in the amendment of the Commercial Code) |
| 2017〜2018 | Member, standard transportation contract review committee, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport |
| 2017〜2019 | Researcher (Commercial law), Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice |
| 2018～2019 | Queen Mary University of London (LLM in International Shipping Law) |
| 2019～2020 | Trained at law firms and P&I Clubs in England, Germany and Singapore |
| 2020 | Passed the exam of Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) |
| 2020 | Admitted to practice as a Solicitor in England and Wales |
| 2020 | Promoted to partner of Higashimachi LPC |
| 2021 | Researcher (Commercial law), Civil Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice |
| 2022～ | Relevant Officer, the Subcommittee of the Legislative Council on Commercial Law (Relating to Bills of Lading, etc.) |
| 2023 | Registered as U.S. Certified Public Accountant（U.S. CPA） |
| 2023～ | Independent/Outside Director of Gantan Beauty Industry Co., Ltd. |
Publications
| “Q&A Introduction to the Legal Practice of Transport Transactions” Shoji Homu 2024 |
| “Current Status of consideration of electronic B/L legislation－in light of the interim Draft－” Japan P&I CLUB’s News Letter, 2023 |
| “Q&A: Revised Commercial Code” (co-author) (edited by Nobukazu Matsui and Akihiro Ono) Shoji Homu 2018 |
| “Summary of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime) Revisions” (co-author with Akihiro Ohno et al.) Shoji Homu Vol. 2177, 2018 |
| “Explanation of the Commercial Code and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act Revisions” (Parts 1 & 2) (co-author with Akihiro Ohno et al.), NBL Vol. 1129 & 1130, 2018 |
| “Overview of the Commercial Code and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act Revisions” (Parts 1 & 2) (co-author with Akihiro Ohno et al.), Horitsu no Hiroba, September 2018 issue |
| “An Act for Partial Revision of the Commercial Code and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (Law No.29 of 2018), major revision of the transportation and maritime portions of the Commercial Code and restructuring of the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act” (co-author with Akihiro Ohno et al.), Toki no Horei No. 2060, 2018 |
| “Submission of the Commercial Code and Carriage of Goods by Sea Act revision bill to the National Diet”, Kaiun, Vol. 1075, p. 52, 2017 |
| “Effects of the Amendment of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime) on business practices” Business Homu, February 2017 |
| “Law for Partial Amendment of Act on Limitation of Shipowner Liability-Enforcement on the 8th of June, 2015-” Kaiun (Japan Shipping Exchange), No.1053, 2015 |
| “Guide to Law for Partial Amendment of Act on Limitation of Shipowner Liability” Kinyuhomujijo, No.2019, 2015 |
| “Guide to Law for Partial Amendment of Act on Limitation of Shipowner Liability” NBL, No.1052, 2015 |
| “Overview of the Interim Proposal concerning the Amendment of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime)” Kinyuhomujijo, No.2019, 2015 |
| “Summary of the Interim Proposal concerning the Amendment of the Commercial Code” Horitsunohiroba, No.68-6,2015 |
Seminars and Presentations
| “Effects of the Civil Code and Commercial Code revisions of shipping practice” Japan Shipping Exchange, May 2018 |
| “Effects of the maritime law revisions on domestic shipping” Japan P&I Club, December 2017 |
| “Points of the Amendment of the Maritime commercial law and Practical considerations” Amakusa Marine Doshikai, August 2017 |
| “Points to be grasped by lawyers about the Amendment of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime)” Daini Tokyo Bar Association, July 2017 |
| “Guide to the bill of Partial Amendment of the Commercial Code and the Act on International Carriage of Goods by Sea” JAPAN P&I CLUB, June and July 2017 |
| “Guide to the bill of Partial Amendment of the Commercial Code and the Act on International Carriage of Goods by Sea” Japan Shipping Exchange, November and December 2016, February 2017 |
| “Guide to the outline of the Amendment of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime)” Nagai seminar in Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., September 2016 |
| “Information session of the Interim Proposal concerning the Amendment of the Commercial Code (Transportation and Maritime)” as a Ministry of Justice official, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, April 2015 |
| “The situation for reviewing the Transport and Maritime Law” as a Ministry of Justice official, KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation), March 2015 |
Memberships
| The Inter-Pacific Bar Association |
| Japan In-House Lawyers Association (JILA), 4th Division (Administrative and Regional Government Entities) |
| The Law Society of England & Wales |
| The Guam Board of Accountancy |