Global Law Experts is pleased to welcome Masaki Kakimoto of Mori Hamada as an Exclusive Member. Known for his Japan focused antitrust practice, Masaki Kakimoto brings clients a distinctive mix of deal experience, regulatory insight, and cross border perspective. He advises multinational corporations, financial sponsors, and domestic businesses on competition matters where legal accuracy, commercial judgment, and timing all matter.

Masaki Kakimoto is a partner in the Competition and Antitrust practice at Mori Hamada and Matsumoto. In this role, he supports clients through complex competition issues tied closely to business decisions and transaction execution. His experience reflects the kind of practical sophistication Global Law Experts looks for in its Exclusive Members, particularly in matters where antitrust risk can influence not only legal outcomes, but also deal structure, internal planning, and regulatory exposure.

In Japan, effective antitrust work requires more than a general understanding of competition principles. It demands familiarity with the Japan Fair Trade Commission approach, the realities of enforcement procedures, and the ability to manage issues that span multiple jurisdictions. Masaki Kakimoto’s background places him squarely within that environment. From 2020 to 2022, he held a fixed term assignment in the Mergers and Acquisitions Division of the Economic Affairs Bureau at the Japan Fair Trade Commission. That role gave him direct insight into the regulator side of competition enforcement and merger review, strengthening his ability to guide clients on how regulatory priorities can impact transactions, compliance planning, and responses during review or investigation.

His academic and professional journey also reflects the international nature of modern antitrust practice. He earned a B.A. from Hitotsubashi University in 2009 and a J.D. from Hitotsubashi Law School in 2012. In 2019, he attended Columbia Law School. He has also completed secondments with Slaughter and May in London and Brussels. Together, these experiences support a practice that is not limited to domestic questions, but instead is designed to serve clients operating across legal systems.

For Global Law Experts, an Exclusive Member must be able to provide meaningful counsel in a defined area of specialization. In antitrust, Masaki Kakimoto covers the full range of work clients depend on, including pre merger clearance, multi jurisdictional merger filings, dawn raid and investigation response, cartel and abuse of dominance defense, compliance program design, and antitrust considerations that arise in mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. This breadth is especially relevant in Japan, where competition issues frequently intersect with corporate transactions and broader regulatory oversight.

His practice is particularly valuable for clients pursuing cross border deals. In many such matters, Japan competition law is only one part of a wider regulatory picture. Masaki Kakimoto often leads Japanese law teams on cross border work, helping clients coordinate filings and address competition concerns while keeping deal momentum moving. That focus on coordination and practical execution aligns closely with Global Law Experts standards, which prioritize lawyers who can deliver more than analysis, especially when stakes are high and jurisdictions are complex.

The Japan region remains central to his work. The competition landscape in Japan continues to evolve, and clients increasingly need advice that accounts for procedural nuance and shifting enforcement priorities. The source material points to heightened scrutiny across areas such as merger review, cartel enforcement, abuse of dominance, vertical restraints, information exchanges, and platform conduct. It also emphasizes that merger filings require careful coordination across jurisdictions. Masaki Kakimoto’s regulator experience combined with his private practice background enables him to bridge the perspectives of both regulator and client, a capability that can be critical in Japan.

A further hallmark of his antitrust practice is its practical orientation. Clients benefit from clear explanations of enforcement dynamics, fast and focused crisis response, and guidance that is grounded in real business needs. In competition matters, where timing and risk control can determine outcomes, these qualities are essential. Whether responding to an unexpected dawn raid, advising on internal compliance steps, or assessing whether a proposed transaction is likely to raise merger control concerns, Masaki Kakimoto brings the regulatory and transactional understanding needed to act quickly and confidently.

His work also spans a wide range of industries, including TMT, manufacturing, chemicals, life sciences, and financial services. That breadth reflects how competition risks can vary depending on market structure, sector regulation, and the commercial profile of a transaction. By drawing on experience across these sectors, he is well positioned to provide advice that matches how competition law issues actually present themselves in practice.

The source material also indicates that he has been involved in matters where competition clearance has played a material role in deal timing and structure. His experience includes support on cross border acquisitions, privatisations, and carve outs, as well as complex multi jurisdictional filings for corporate and private equity clients. This aligns with the needs of Global Law Experts members and clients who often require support beyond a single domestic regulatory framework.

Masaki Kakimoto’s guidance extends beyond transactional matters. He also advises on enforcement and investigation risk, including defense strategies for cartel and abuse of dominance allegations. This enables him to support clients across the full lifecycle of a competition issue, from prevention and compliance to response and dispute management. His work on compliance programs is especially significant in Japan, where organizations often need strong internal systems to reduce exposure amid increased scrutiny.

He is also active in professional development and broader competition law dialogue. He serves as a Non Governmental Advisor to the International Competition Network and participates in international working groups, including the International Bar Association Antitrust Litigation Working Group. He contributes to domestic initiatives such as the Competition Law Forum and takes on roles related to compliance governance. These engagements signal a lawyer who is not only focused on client work, but also actively engaged in the evolution of the field.

His reputation is supported by the source material’s reference to recognition in industry guides, including a listing in Best Lawyers. While the emphasis here is on his substantive practice, that recognition reinforces the impression of a lawyer who is established and respected in his area.

The antitrust environment in Japan remains dynamic, with growing attention to digital markets, cooperation with overseas authorities, and continued scrutiny of vertical restraints and platform conduct. Clients therefore benefit most from counsel that understands both domestic process and international enforcement trends. Masaki Kakimoto’s Japan based experience, combined with his international education and secondments, equips him to advise in this demanding setting.

What truly distinguishes Masaki Kakimoto is the balance he brings to client matters. He offers the perspective of a lawyer with government experience, international exposure, and deep involvement in complex transactions. That combination is particularly useful in Japan, where competition work often requires nuanced decision making and close alignment between legal analysis, commercial strategy, and operational reality. For multinational corporations, private equity sponsors, and Japanese businesses alike, that makes him a strong fit for cases where competition law is central to the result.

As businesses plan acquisitions into Japan, acquisitions out of Japan, or efforts to strengthen internal antitrust compliance, Masaki Kakimoto offers counsel that closely reflects the standards expected of an Exclusive Member of Global Law Experts. Clients can rely on his ability to understand the pressure of deal execution, the realities of regulatory review, and the value of advice that is both clear and commercially grounded.

By welcoming Masaki Kakimoto to Global Law Experts, the network recognizes a practitioner whose antitrust practice in Japan is defined by substance, credibility, and real value to clients. His work reflects the excellence Global Law Experts aims to highlight, specialist knowledge, international awareness, and an ability to support high stakes matters with clarity and confidence. In an area where missteps can have serious consequences, Masaki Kakimoto stands out as a lawyer equipped to deliver effective guidance that reflects both legal rigor and practical business considerations.

His appointment as an Exclusive Member is a strong addition to Global Law Experts international community. With an antitrust practice focused on Japan and shaped by experience across government, private practice, and international legal environments, Masaki Kakimoto brings a profile that is both distinguished and highly relevant. Clients facing competition challenges in Japan will find in him a lawyer capable of handling complex matters with discipline, perspective, and a strong understanding of how events unfold on the ground.