Real Estate Financing and REITs

Atsumi & Sakai has one of Japan’s top-tier real estate finance practices, led by Russell K. Kawahara, a partner widely recognized by independent commentators as being a leading practitioner in the field.

We advise lenders and borrowers in real estate financing transactions. Our lender clients include the four “mega-banks”, numerous regional banks and global lending institutions. Our borrower clients include Japanese and foreign real estate developers, sponsors, fund managers, asset managers, and investors. We advise with respect to acquisition financings, construction financings, permanent financings and re-financings in the form of secured loans and TMK bond issuances, and preferred capital issuances with respect to various classes of real estate, including:

Commercial office buildings
Retail projects
Residential developments
Hotels
Logistics facilities
Senior homes
Health care facilities

We have represented J-REITs in the completion of public offerings and mergers, and as well as lenders in public-private funds. We have extensive experience representing the manager of private REITs and the acquisition and assembly of portfolios of assets for such REITs. We have also represented offshore REITs (US, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.) in the formation of funds for investment in real estate in Japan and China.

When advising foreign clients, our firm can field a team of expert Japanese lawyers and foreign lawyers who have relevant experience and bi-cultural sensitivity. Our team can do business and draft documents in Japanese, English, German, Mandarin, Hindi, Korean, and Marathi, and provides services around the clock through our global affiliated offices.