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Keitaro Uzawa

Keitaro Uzawa

Of Counsel
We are always supported by his expert advice.
Client, Tax, Chambers Asia Pacific 2024
About

Keitaro Uzawa has over 10 years' experience in advising multinational and Japanese clients, particularly focusing on international tax, transfer pricing and customs duties, in addition to general corporate, disputes, and mergers & acquisitions.

Keitaro is a qualified Japanese lawyer (bengoshi) and certified public tax accountant (zeirishi), and he was seconded to the London office from September 2019 to February 2020, where he belonged to the International Tax and Transfer Pricing team.

Professional QualificationsAttorney-at-law admitted with the Supreme Court of New YorkBengoshi registered with the Tokyo Bar AssociationsZeirishi registered with Japan Federation of Certified Public Tax Accountants' Associations

EXPERIENCE

  • Representing various Japanese multinational manufacturers in their bilateral APAs and MAP cases with various countries, including US, Canada and Thailand, and providing broad Japanese law/tax advice in connection therewith.
  • Advising a multinational manufacturer of scales and analytical instruments in connection with defense documentation upon their transfer pricing model restructuring.
  • Providing advice on international tax restructuring and transfer pricing analysis, including benchmarking and modelling of various transactions, to a global semiconductor manufacturer.
  • Providing Japanese tax and transfer pricing advice on converting their Japan subsidiary into a limited risk distributor for a Swedish wood product company.
  • Representing a Japanese subsidiary of a US based multinational e commerce service provider with respect to the tax dispute pending at the National Tax Tribunal.
  • Defending offshore mobile telecommunication service providers from Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau in connection with their Japanese consumption tax refund claims.
  • Representing a global medical device manufacturer in its tax audit by and the agreement with Tokyo Customs with respect to the customs valuation on imported goods.
  • Advising a US-based online platformer with respect to their legal and regulatory issues for their Japan Business.
  • Representing a Japanese subsidiary of an Indian IT company with respect to the litigation brought by the former president.
  • Representing a US-based computer software company with respect to the copyright infringement litigation against a Japanese medical device manufacturer.
  • Advising a Japanese solar energy EPC company with respect to the commercial litigation in Texas, US brought by the supplier.
  • Representing a global rental office service provider in the acquisition of a local rental office service provider.
  • Representing a Japanese electronic device manufacturer in the asset acquisition in the US from a global semiconductor manufacture.
  • Representing a global semiconductor manufacturer in the acquisition of a part of semiconductor business from Japanese multinational electronics corporation through a joint venture.
  • Advising an international gemmological grading institute with regard to its Japan operations, including tax issues associated with educational institutes and non-profit entities operating in Japan.
Languages
  • English
  • Japanese
Education
  • New York University, LL.M. in International Taxation, 2019
  • University of Tokyo, J.D., 2009
  • Chuo University, B.A. in Law, 2007

Awards

  • Ranked for Tax: Bengoshi, Up and Coming, Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2024
  • Recognised as a "Rising Star" by ITR World Tax Leaders – Asia Pacific (2022 – 2024)

Publications

Articles/books

  • "2023 Overseas Legal News", article in Business Homu, April 2023
  • "Tax heaven rules in Japan," co-authored book published by Okura Zaimu Kyokai, March 6 2018
  • "Note on the Consumption Tax Exemption for Virtual Currency", article in Asia-Pacific Tax Bulletin, 2017(Volume 23), No.3
  • "PE Taxation," co-authored book published by Okura Zaimu Kyokai, Dec 28 2016
  • "An update on Japan's consumption tax", article in Bloomberg BNA (Volume 12, no. 5), May 2014
  • World Legal News, Recent Trend on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, Bijinesu Houmu (in Japanese), December 2013
  • Significance and Backgrounds of JOBS Act supporting fund raising by emerging growth companies and employment creation, The Lawyers (in Japanese), April 2013 (co-author)
  • Gaming Developments in Japan - iGaming Business (in English), Issue 81, July/August 2013 (co-author)

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member of Tokyo Bar Association Special Committee on Tax Matters

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