Practice Areas

• Intellectual Property Law

  • Intellectual Property Transactions

  • Unfair Competition

  • License and Franchise

  • Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution

• International Practice

  • International Commercial Contracts

  • International Dispute Resolution

  • International Arbitration

  • Trade Regulations/Rule of Origin

  • International Commercial Contracts

  • North America

  • Europe

  • Chinese Practice

  • Hong Kong

  • Taiwan

  • Republic of Korea

  • Asia/Emerging Countries Desk

  • Singapore

  • Malaysia

  • Indonesia

  • Thailand

  • Vietnam

  • Philippines

  • India

  • Cambodia and Laos

  • Myanmar

  • Australia

  • Turkey

  • Middle East

  • Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean

  • Africa

• Corporate and M&A

  • General Corporate Practice

  • Corporate Litigations, Disputes and D&O Liabilities

  • Corporate Governance/Shareholders Meeting

  • M&A, Reorganization, and Business Alliance

  • Venture and Startup Support

• Risk Management & Compliance

  • Corporate Investigation

  • Product Liability

  • Protection of Personal Information

  • Bribery, Financial and Governmental Regulations

  • Business and Human Rights

• Dispute Resolution

  • Corporate Litigations, Disputes and D&O Liabilities

  • Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution

  • Product Liability

  • International Dispute Resolution

  • International Arbitration

• Administrative Law

  • Regulatory and Administrative Regulations

• Industries

  • Entertainment

  • Information Technology, Internet and Telecommunications

  • Sports

  • Environmental Law

  • Energy

• Life Science, Pharmaceutical and Healthcare

  • Research and Development

  • Business-Academia Collaboration

  • Marketing Regulation

  • Labelling and Advertising regulation

  • Crisis Management

  • Dispute Resolution

  • Cosmetics & Health/Beauty Care Products

• Personal Data, AI, IT and Digital

  • Protection of Personal Information and Privacy

  • Information Security, Cybersecurity

  • AI, Machine Learning

  • Digital Law

• Sustainability and ESG

  • Business and Human Rights

  • Environmental Law

Education & Professional Experience

2015.5-2020.5
Director of the Intellectual Property Affairs Division, Economic Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Lead negotiator in the field of Intellectual Property for TPP/CPTPP（TPP11）, Japan-EU・EPA, and RCEP negotiations

2007-2015
Wada & Watanabe （formerly: Abe & Matsutome）, Partner (2009-)
Ohtsuka Patent Office, P.C., Legal Counsel

2005-2007
Negotiator for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)/Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) (particularly in the areas of intellectual property, investment and competition policy), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2004
Royal Holloway, University of London (MA in Hellenic Studies)

2003.5-2003.7
IPSI (Intellectual Property Summer Institute), NH, U.S.

2003
Franklin Pierce Center for IP, University of New Hampshire NH, U.S. (formerly : Franklin Pierce Law Center)(LL.M. in Intellectual Property)

1999-2002
Osaka Honmachi Law Office (formally : Higa Law Office)

1997-1999
Legal Training and Research Institute, Supreme Court of Japan

1997
Graduate School of Law, Kobe University (MA in Law)

1995
Kobe University (BA in Law)

Activities

Working member of the “Study Group on International Intellectual Property Systems” commissioned by the Japan Patent Office (2024-)

Outside Director, Holoeyes Inc. (2023 to present)

Member of the “Study Group on Intellectual Property Management of Agricultural Products to Prevent Leakages Overseas” of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry (2022)

AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property)/ Standing Committee/ "Free Trade Agreements” Committee (2022 to present)

Conflict of Interest Advisory Board of Kobe University (2022 to present)

Panelist Candidate for JP Domain Name Disputes Resolution, Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center (2021 to present)

Deputy Secretary General, Japan International Dispute Resolution Center (JIDRC) (2021 to present)

Part-time lecturer, Kobe University Law school (2017 to present)

Part-time lecturer, Hitotsubashi University Graduate school of Law (2019, 2021, 2023)

Part-time lecturer, Kyushu University Graduate School for Law (2018 to 2019)

Working Group member for the development of teaching materials in English on management strategy exploiting intellectual property, commissioned by the Japan Patent Office (2015 to 2017).

Project team member regarding “Research for advanced regulations of Electronic Commerce in Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)”, commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (October 2014 to February 2015).

Working Group member for “Research and Study on the International Anti-patent Trend”, AIPPI ・JAPAN (September 2013 to February 2014)

Deputy Chairman, Working Group regarding “Research and Study on FTA/EPA negotiation strategies of Canada, New Zealand, Columbia and Turkey in the field of Intellectual Property”, commissioned by the Japan Patent Office (June 2012 to February 2013) .

Inspector, General Incorporated Association MAM (2012 to present)

Publications Archives

Seminars/Lectures Archives

Languages

Japanese and English