AUGUSTA, Ga., 18 April 2024 — Today, Best Lawyers^® proudly recognizes the exceptional achievements of Japan’s legal elite. The milestone 15^th edition of The Best Lawyers in Japan™ and the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan™ showcases the brilliance and dedication of the legal community. Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Intellectual Property Law emerged as the leading practice groups this year. 

In the 2025 rankings, less than 2,000 lawyers have earned a coveted spot during a record voting year, surpassing all previous editions since 2009. These professionals have earned their place in the Best Lawyers listings through a rigorous peer nomination process, colleague voting and meticulous evaluation. Their expertise spans diverse practice areas, making them the trusted advisors clients turn to when navigating complex legal matters. 

“Best Lawyers recognitions are more than accolades, as they are often a compass guiding clients toward exceptional legal representation based purely on peer feedback supported by our rigorous and time-tested methodology,” said Phillip Greer, CEO of Best Lawyers. "For over four decades, Best Lawyers has harnessed the collective wisdom of leading legal minds and this year’s edition continues this legacy of excellence.” 

Finding and keeping top talent has been paramount for firms to remain competitive, making Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan invaluable. The 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Japan recognizes the professional excellence of 1,616 lawyers in 47 practice areas, and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan recognizes 335 honorees across 28 practice areas. In addition to historic individual lawyer recognitions, 48 lawyers were recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” honorees, awarded to the lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region.

The Best Lawyers Purely Peer Review™ methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. These awards are presented to lawyers who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Those who receive high peer reviews are recognized and represent the top 4% of lawyers in Japan.

For research purposes, smaller and more rural cities located within a reasonable distance of larger cities are combined into single geographical regions called “metro areas” to help collect as much feedback and data as possible. Tokyo is the metro area with the largest number of listed lawyers. 

Search The Best Lawyers in Japan and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan results by lawyer name, firm, region and/or practice area by visiting www.bestlawyers.com.