Partner Kagenori Sako

Osaka Bar Association, Japan Federation of Bar Associations (2002)
New York (2010)
Certified Fraud Examiner (2016)

Location ： Osaka Office and Nagoya Office

Practice Areas

      Professional Summary

      Kagenori Sako is a partner in Oh-Ebashi LPC & Partners. His practice areas comprise a range of antitrust / competition, dispute resolution, compliance, IP and corporate law.

      His antitrust / competition practice covers all areas of antitrust and competition law, including cartel defense, private antitrust litigation and merger clearance. He regularly represents clients in administrative and criminal antitrust investigations by the JFTC, and has served as lead coordinating counsel for clients under investigation in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union, Canada, China, Korea, India, Singapore and Brazil. In addition to cartel investigation, he has handled a variety of unfair trade practices under the Japanese antitrust law including abuse of a superior bargaining position.

      In addition to his work in the antitrust area, Kagenori has represented clients in various commercial dispute matters, including complex commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution procedures. He also has extensive experience in conducting complex investigations in a variety of industries, and in advising corporate boards in connection with investigations.

      Education & Professional Experience

      2009 - 2010
      Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (Silicon Valley office)

      2009
      UC Berkeley School of Law (LL.M.)

      2001
      Kyoto University (LL.B.)

      Activities

      2017 - 2020 Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto University Law School (Seminar on Competition Law Cases)
      2021 - 2023 Visiting Professor, Kyoto University Law School (Seminar on Competition Law Cases)
      2024 - Present Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto University Law School (Seminar on Competition Law Cases)
      2016 - Present Part-time Lecturer, Kobe University Graduate School of Law
      2016 - 2021 Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto University

      The Japan Association of Economic Law
      Kansai Study Group on Competition Law
      Antitrust Law Practice Study Group, Osaka Bar Association
      Antitrust Law Section, American Bar Association
      Academy For International Business Transactions
      Japan Competition Law Forum

      Publications Archives

      2024.04.19
      Cartels Laws and Regulations 2024 - Japan Chapter
      2023.05.02
      GLI Cartels 2023 - Japan Chapter
      2022.05.13
      The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides - Japan CARTELS
      2022.02.04
      Antimonopoly Act Consultation Handbook
      2021.05
      Private Antitrust Litigation
      2020.10
      Practical Guide to the 2016 and 2019 Antimonopoly Act Amendments
      2020.03.09
      Overview of Discovery in US Litigation Initiated by Victims of Cartels and Risks thereof
      2019.12
      International Legal Practice
      2019.11.19
      Overview and Risks of Class Action Lawsuits Filed by Cartel Victims
      2019.11
      Legal Practice Concerning Joint Research and Development Agreements
      2018.11
      "Seeking Leniency in Japan," Cartel & Criminal Practice Committee Newsletter, Fall 2018
      2018.11
      "Seeking Leniency in Japan," Cartel & Criminal Practice Committee Newsletter, Fall 2018
      2017.09
      Basic Practices for the Preparation and Administration of Documents, etc., in Anticipation of Cross-border Business Disputes (JCA Journal Vol. 64, No. 9 [September 2017 Issue])
      2017.05
      Flash Report on an Antitrust Case – Example of a Behavioural Remedies (Conduct Remedies) in a Corporate Merger Resulting in 100% Share in the Relevant Market (Jurist No.1507)
      2015.03
      Flash Report on an Antitrust Case - A Case Denying the Applicability of "Acts by a Partnership" under Article 22 of the Antimonopoly Act. (Jurist No.1478)
      2014.11
      Measures to Avoid Being Suspected of Being Part of an International Cartel (Business Homu Vol.15/No.1)
      2014.07
      Legal Practice Handbook: Cases and Comments - Competition Law (Coauthered)
      2012.11
      Product Recall, Liability and Insurance (Contribution)
      2005.07
      The Theory, Practice and Forms of New Bankruptcy Act (Coauthored)

      Seminars/Lectures Archives

      2023.02.21 ～2024.02.21
      [Online Seminar: Video Streaming] Basics of the Anti-Monopoly Act and Subcontract Act
      2022.12.02
      Fifth Osaka Symposium by the Competition Policy Research Center (CPRC) of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC): "Digital Platform Ecosystems"
      2021.04.09
      【Online Seminar】International Legal Practice Seminar (6): Coping with Competition Laws in the Global Economy
      2020.12.10 ～2021.02.26
      【Online Seminar】 The Latest Revisions to the Anti-Monopoly Act and Practice Thereunder - The Measures that Should be Taken by Companies against the Enforcement of the Revised Act -
      2020.11.06
      [Online Seminar (live streaming)] Third Osaka Symposium by the CPRC of the JFTC : "Business Cooperation: How Can We Realize Innovation that Changes the Society? - Research & Development, Cross-Industry Data Collaboration, and Anti-Monopoly Law"
      2019.12.18
      Recent Examples of Misconduct and Scandals Arising from Flaws in Corporate Rules and Issues in Compliance Structure
      2019.11.22
      Competition Law Issues over Collection and Use of Personal Data
      2019.11.12
      Latest Trends in Compliance in Japan, the U.S. and Europe
      2019.07.25
      【Osaka】Risk Management & Compliance Seminar ① Practical handling of corporate scandals and establishment of preventive measures
      2019.03.18
      【Nagoya】Practical Actions to be Taken in an Investigation by the Fair Trade Commission that Companies should Know in Advance
      2018.12.14
      【Osaka】Practical Actions to be Taken in an Investigation by the Fair Trade Commission that Companies should Know in Advance
      2018.10.22
      Latest Trends in Competition Laws in Japan and the United States
      2018.07.19
      Crisis Management and Compliance Measures -- Based on the Latest Practices of an American Law Firm
      2018.06.05
      Contract Drafting Practices for Businesses - Including Commentary on the Amendments to the Civil Code - Session 3: Agreements on Entrustment of Business and Sales Collaboration Agreements
      2018.05.15
      Nagoya : Practices relating to Anti-Bribery Regulations in Foreign Countries - Focusing on China and Southeast Asian Countries
      2018.02.26
      Practices relating to Anti-Bribery Regulations in Foreign Countries - Focusing on China and Southeast Asian Countries
      2017.11.13
      Nagoya: Actual Practices in Responding to Corporate Scandals and Preparatory Measures Therefor (Based on Cases in Japan and China)
      2017.10.18
      Nagoya : On-site Inspections by the Japan Fair Trade Commission and Initial Phase Responses by Companies
      2017.03.10
      Contract Drafting Practices to Manage the Risks of Business Companies - Lesson 5: Sales Collaboration Agreements (Distributorship Agreements); and Lesson 6: Franchise Agreements
      2017.01.13
      On-site Inspections by the Japan Fair Trade Commission and Initial Phase Responses by Companies
      2016.10.28
      Recent Trends concerning the Japanese Anti-Monopoly Act and EU Competition Law
      2016.10.05
      Nagoya : Cartel Risk and Legal Practices Therefor
      2016.02.25
      Unfair Trade Practices (except for Abuse of a Superior Bargaining Position)
      2015.10.13
      Business Law Forum " International Cartel Issues - Huge Fines and Criminal Liability "
      2015.05.26
      How to Respond to International Antitrust Investigations - Taking the Brazilian Antitrust Law as an Example
      2015.03.03
      ABA 2015 Asia Forum, "Protecting Your Client in an Era of Global Enforcement"
      2015.02.12
      Strategies for the Preparation and Management of Evidence to Win International Business Disputes - Active Use of Discovery and Attorney-Client Privilege -
      2013.07.25
      Recent Trends of Domestic and Foreign Cartels

      Awards

      Highly acclaimed in the "Antitrust/Competition Law" section, The Best Lawyers in Japan 2025
      Listed as a Leading Individual in the "Antitrust and competition" section, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024
      Listed as a Lawyer of the Year in the "Antitrust / Competition Law" section,  The Best Lawyers in Japan 2024
      Listed in the "National Guide/Japan - Competition" section, Who's Who Legal Japan 2023
      Listed as a Leading Individual in the "Antitrust and competition" section, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023
      Listed in the "National Guide/Japan - Competition" section, Who's Who Legal Japan 2022
      Highly acclaimed in the "Antitrust/Competition Law" section, The Best Lawyers in Japan 2022
      Listed in the "Future Leaders 2018" in the competition section, Who's Who Legal

      Languages

      Japanese and English

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