Total Access Japan – U.S. Trends in ESG Management and Finance, and Suggestions for Japanese Companies

Sakon Kuramoto Senior Associate

Tokyo

Sakon is an attorney at law admitted to practice in Japan as well as New York, USA. He has been engaged in ESG/SDGs/Business and Human Rights + Environment, VC/Startup, M&A, and Compliance from a strategic perspective, paying attention to both domestic and international aspects based on the needs of Japanese companies expanding overseas.

Among others, as a lawyer specializing in ESG/SDGs/Business and Human Rights, he supports the corporate clients for human rights/environmental due diligence.

He is based in Tokyo and focuses his practice on assisting various companies, and has experience working in the United States and Singapore as well. He has represented a lot of companies in numerous investments and M&A transactions in Japan, the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

As a lawyer specializing in ESG/SDGs/Business and Human Rights + Environment & Climate Change, he is well versed in laws and regulations of various countries to ensure proper supply chain management, international norms and standards related to SDGs, ESGs, and "business and human rights," as well as relevant ILO conventions, and provides support for the promotion of ESG/Impact Investing. He also supports the promotion of ESG/Impact Investing.

He also advises Japanese companies on how to deal with women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ employees from the perspective of promoting stakeholder relations and DI&E (Diversity, Inclusion & Equality) management. From the standpoint of a corporate lawyer, he also assists Japanese companies with the proper handling of foreign workers, including technical interns.

He was appointed by the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a candidate for the Advisory Committee for the Reporting System based on the Tokyo 2020 Code of Sustainable Procurement.

He is also an expert member of the "Platform for Responsible Acceptance of Foreign Workers" (JP-MIRAI), whose secretariat is managed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

He is one of the founders and Steering Committee Officers of the Business and Human Rights Lawyers Japan.

He received the Excellence Award of the 6th "Shin Nihon Hoki Foundation Incentive Award".

Gohshun Kawamura Senior Associate

Tokyo

Gohshun Kawamura is a managing associate in Orrick’s Tokyo office and a member of the Energy and Infrastructure Group.

He focuses on cross-border energy and infrastructure projects, advising foreign and domestic energy investors, project developers, and financial institutions.

Prior to joining Orrick Tokyo Office, he was an assistant judge at the Tokyo District Court and the Matsuyama District Court.

Joseph Perkins Partner

Silicon Valley Office

Joseph Perkins advises technology companies and venture capital investors with a focus on blockchain, cryptocurrency, Web3, and NFT companies, as well as Japanese technology clients in their growth journeys.

In the fast-paced and unprecedented blockchain and cryptocurrency markets, Joseph helps companies develop innovative and comprehensive legal strategies to achieve their goals of bringing to market disruptive and transformative technologies. From DAO and NFT creation, general corporate and fundraising strategies, to navigating complex and changing regulatory regimes, Joseph has become a go-to advisor for companies in the blockchain and virtual currency ecosystem.

As a member of Orrick’s Technology Companies Group, Joseph assists cutting-edge technology companies and investors with general corporate counseling, private venture capital financing, and M&A services. Joseph has had the opportunity to work with some of the most iconic companies in Silicon Valley, advising on corporate strategy and fundraising matters.

Joseph also leads Orrick's international Technology Companies practice connecting Silicon Valley with Japan. He represents a number of technology companies and investors based in Japan, bringing his Silicon Valley experiences to assist founders and corporate venture capital funds. Joseph is fluent in Japanese and retains a strong connection to Japanese companies and our Tokyo practice.

Hiroki Sugita Partner

Tokyo

Hiroki Sugita is a partner in Orrick’s Tokyo Office and a member of the M&A and Private Equity Group. He works on a wide range of cross-border transactions including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, emerging companies and venture capital transactions, and private equity investment especially in Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia.

He also has extensive experience in fund formation, real estate and various types of finance transactions.

Hiroki has a deep understanding of clients’ needs from his secondment experience with a U.S. investment bank in 2005 and a Japanese major trading house from 2012 to 2014.

Prior to joining Orrick, Hiroki worked at O’Melveny’s Tokyo office as a counsel where he mainly worked on cross border M&A.

Jennifer Poh Of Counsel

New York Office; San Francisco Office

Jennifer is a member of Orrick’s ESG and Impact Finance practice groups where she advises clients on environmental, social and governance (ESG) and impact strategy, program development and reporting.

Jennifer advises public and private companies and their boards on a range of ESG-related matters, including the design of an ESG strategy, setting up and implementation of an ESG program, ESG-related reporting and disclosure, ESG commercial requirements and strategy, and compliance with ESG regulations. Jennifer also works with funds to develop fund-level and portfolio company ESG frameworks and programs that are responsive to limited partner expectations and tailored to the stage of investment in and business model and industry of portfolio companies. In addition, Jennifer advises impact-oriented entrepreneurs, companies and funds on impact strategies and reporting.

Prior to joining Orrick, Jennifer oversaw corporate governance and SEC disclosure matters as an in-house lawyer at a newly Nasdaq-listed solar company. Jennifer draws on her background as a capital markets lawyer and deep understanding of public company corporate governance requirements to help clients effectively navigate potential risks and opportunities relating to ESG.

She has also worked as an ESG consultant for a range of startups, family offices and venture capital funds. She leverages her personal experience as an entrepreneur and focus on social impact as part of her MBA studies to offer practical advice on complex ESG matters.

Jennifer has extensive experience advising foreign companies in accessing the US capital markets. Having worked in London and Hong Kong, in addition to New York and San Francisco, Jennifer brings a unique cross-border perspective in offering advice on ESG best practices.