Masahisa Ikeda

Masahisa Ikeda

Partner

Email

masahisa.ikeda@aoshearman.com

Phone

+81 3 5251 1601

Offices

Tokyo

New York

V-CARD
Masahisa is Head of Tokyo and Global Co-Head of Sector Strategy

He has extensive experience representing global companies and government agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on a wide variety of matters, including cross-border acquisitions, financings and disputes.

He also represents numerous corporations on various government investigations, and regulatory and compliance matters, including investigations relating to securities law, antitrust law and FCPA, before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the European Commission.

Masahisa speaks frequently on international business issues and legal issues. Masahisa is on the board of numerous non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Japan including serving as the Asia Pacific Director of the Trilateral Commission, a Board Member of the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and an Auditor of the International House of Japan. Masahisa has been named a leading practitioner for capital markets, M&A and asset management by Chambers Global, Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, IFLR 1000 and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

Experience

Representative matters

Ajinomoto Co. Inc. in its acquisition of Forge Biologics Holdings LLC, through a reverse triangular merger transaction valued at approximately $554 million.

NTT DOCOMO, INC. in its tender offer at approximately $316 million to acquire common shares of INTAGE HOLDINGS, Inc.

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc., a consolidated subsidiary of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings, in its entry into a joint venture with Accenture to consolidate the administrative, back-office and support services of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Group.

LINE Corporation in connection with its business integration with Z Holdings Corporation, which involved among other steps a joint tender offer by SoftBank Co., Ltd. and NAVER Corporation to acquire all of LINE’s outstanding common stock (including American Depositary Shares), stock options and convertible bonds.

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, “Big Tech” and the Antitrust Paradigm Shift, Shearman & Sterling, February 2022
  • Speaker, Investigations In Asia – Japan & South Korea, Shearman & Sterling, December 2020
  • Panelist, Overview of Foreign Listing Process and Consideration Points, EY ShinNihon LLC, June 2017
  • Lecturer, Current Status of Compliance Practices and Measures for Antitrust Law Compliance by Japanese Companies, Competition Policy Research Center of the Japan Fair Trade Commission, September 2016

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Board Member, the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research
  • Auditor, the International House of Japan
  • Research Collaborator, the Japan Fair Trade Commission, Competition Policy Research Center
  • Asia Pacific Director, the Trilateral Commission
Recognition
“[Masahisa Ikeda] can answer our questions in a rapid manner. He is persuasive and client-friendly.”
Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2024
“[Masahisa Ikeda] has extensive experience in corporate matters in Japan and is a valuable presence who can clearly advise when risks are high.”
Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2024

Awards

  • Leading Lawyer for Capital Markets: International: US Law in Japan, Chambers Asia Pacific, 2024
  • Leading Lawyer for Corporate/M&A: International in Japan, Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2024 
  • Recommended Lawyer for Corporate and M&A in Japan, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024 
  • Recommended Lawyer for Antitrust and Competition in Japan, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024 
  • Hall of Fame for Capital Markets in Japan, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024
  • Best lawyers for Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law in Japan, Best Lawyers, 2022

Qualifications

Admissions

New York, 1992
District of Columbia, 1994
Japan, 2000 (Registered Foreign Lawyer)

Academic

A.B., magna cum laude, Harvard University, 1989
LL.B., University of Tokyo, 1990
J.D., cum laude, Harvard Law School, 1993

Languages

English, Japanese, French
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.