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Announcing the Establishment of our “Sapporo and Hokkaido Desk”

Atsumi & Sakai will establish a “Sapporo and Hokkaido Desk” at our Tokyo office.

As of October 1, 2026, Atsumi & Sakai will establish a new “Sapporo and Hokkaido Desk” in our Tokyo office to strengthen our legal support for companies in Sapporo and throughout Hokkaido, and Japanese and overseas companies seeking to expand into the region.

 

 

 

 

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Background of Establishment

In Hokkaido, efforts to establish a mass-production hub for next-generation semiconductors have prompted a growing number of related companies to establish new facilities and undertake capital investment. In addition, investment is growing in data center development across Hokkaido, including in Tomakomai and Ishikari, and in renewable energy projects such as offshore wind power generation. Cross-regional and international business collaboration is also expanding, with companies from elsewhere in Japan and overseas investing in and forming partnerships with Hokkaido-based companies

In central Sapporo, initiatives integrating urban development with the creation of new industries are also gaining momentum, including public-private partnership projects to enhance Odori Park, large-scale redevelopment around Sapporo Ekimae-dori Avenue, and initiatives to foster startups. Our firm views these developments as part of a major trend across Hokkaido’s public and private sectors and has therefore established a dedicated professional framework to respond to the associated legal needs.

In Hokkaido, efforts to establish a mass-production hub for next-generation semiconductors have prompted a growing number of related companies to establish new facilities and undertake capital investment. In addition, investment is growing in data center development across Hokkaido, including in Tomakomai and Ishikari, and in renewable energy projects such as offshore wind power generation. Cross-regional and international business collaboration is also expanding, with companies from elsewhere in Japan and overseas investing in and forming partnerships with Hokkaido-based companies

In central Sapporo, initiatives integrating urban development with the creation of new industries are also gaining momentum, including public-private partnership projects to enhance Odori Park, large-scale redevelopment around Sapporo Ekimae-dori Avenue, and initiatives to foster startups. Our firm views these developments as part of a major trend across Hokkaido’s public and private sectors and has therefore established a dedicated professional framework to respond to the associated legal needs.

Main Areas of Support

The Sapporo and Hokkaido Desk provides legal support primarily in the following areas:

 

Startup Support
— Legal support tailored to the establishment and growth stages of new startups in Hokkaido

  • Start-up phase: Advice on company formation and founding shareholder agreements
  • Seed phase: Legal structuring of investment agreements, shareholder agreements, and business schemes
  • Growth and expansion phase (Series A and beyond): Designing class shares, preparing investment agreements and shareholders agreements, and providing support for acquiring loans from financial institutions
  • Support for the introduction of incentive plans, including the use of stock options
  • Support for exit measures through IPOs and M&A (including coordination with stock exchanges, lead managing underwriters, and audit firms)
  • Support for intellectual property measures in collaboration with patent attorneys and other experts (for R&D-focused startups)

Business Expansion Support
— Assistance with establishing operations, obtaining permits and licenses, and setting up contractual arrangements for domestic and international companies expanding into Hokkaido and Sapporo

  • Advice on selecting the type of business presence (branch office, local subsidiary, representative office, etc.)
  • Company formation and filings with the Bank of Japan
  •  Visa support for required personnel
  • Advice on labor matters, including the preparation of employment contracts and work rules
  •  Assistance with various filings with tax authorities
  • Support for obtaining licenses, permits, and trademarks required for business operations
  • Ongoing corporate services, such as registration changes after market entry and the preparation of annual corporate operating documents

New Business Ventures
— Legal support for new business ventures by companies based in Hokkaido and other parts of Japan

  • Compliance with industry laws and regulations based on business activities
  • Preparing and reviewing various contracts, including contracts in English
  • Support for obtaining licenses and permits
  • Handling negotiations with regulatory authorities in fields involving new technologies and business models, such as fintech, life sciences, IoT, and AI

Key Industries and Infrastructure
— Legal support for industrial and infrastructure projects, such as semiconductors, data centers, and offshore wind power generation

  • Advice and legal DD (due diligence) for the development of renewable energy projects (solar, onshore/offshore wind power, biomass, small and medium hydropower, geothermal, etc.)
  • Preparation of business-related contracts, review of schemes, and preparation of contracts, etc. related to project finance
  • Monitoring regulatory developments relating to offshore wind power generation, and assistance with developer selection and public tender processes
  • Support for the construction of large-scale infrastructure facilities such as power plants and data centers, including the preparation and negotiation of EPC contracts, and assistance with bidding
  • Legal analysis regarding the commercialization of new technologies and fuels, such as storage batteries, hydrogen, and ammonia

M&A
— M&A and business partnerships involving companies in Hokkaido, other parts of Japan, and overseas

  • M&A and evaluation of corporate restructuring schemes, preparing and negotiating contracts (share transfer agreements, business transfer agreements, merger agreements, etc.)
  • Legal Due Diligence
  • Advice on transaction-related regulatory matters, including merger control under the Anti-Monopoly Act, foreign investment regulations under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, and foreign subsidies regulations
  • Collaboration with local law firms through overseas offices and networks in cross-border M&A
  • Advice on acquisition financing
  • Support for labor due diligence and Post-Merger Integration (PMI)
  • Advice on joint venture structuring and private equity investments

International Transactions and Negotiations
— Support for conducting transactions and negotiating with overseas companies

  • Leveraging our offices in New York, London, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Ho Chi Minh City and our network of law firms spanning approximately 120 countries
  • Responding to situations where overseas companies or overseas-affiliated companies are parties to litigation or other legal proceedings in Japan (inbound cases)
  • Responding to situations where Japanese companies are parties to disputes overseas (outbound cases)
  • Examination of international jurisdictions and governing laws, and handling international arbitration

Emerging Fields
— Addressing new legal challenges arising from changes in local industries and society, such as new approaches to urban development and agricultural legal affairs

  • Support for local governments and DMOs in developing tourism-based urban development master plans
  • Design and contract support for public-private partnership projects including PPP/PFI
  • Designing independent revenue sources such as lodging taxes, and supporting the establishment and operation of area management organizations
  • Support for new entrants (corporations qualified to own cropland, etc.) into the agricultural sector
  • Advice on contracts for agricultural land and agricultural materials transactions, and supporting the integration of agricultural production, processing, and distribution (the Sixth Industrialization)
  • Advice on the employment of foreign personnel under the Technical Intern Training Program and Specified Skilled Worker System
  • Support for agricultural businesses on business succession
  • Intellectual property protection for regional resources

 

 

Atsumi & Sakai is committed to providing legal support based on specialist expertise, with a view to contributing, even in a small way, to the continued growth and development of business in Hokkaido. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can assist you, please feel free to contact us using the button below.

 

 

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