Masahiro Tanabe

Counsel

Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise)

Tokyo

T + 81 3 6271 9531
F + 81 3 5549 7724

Email
Vcard

Biography

Masahiro Tanabe is a member of the Projects Group in the Firm's Tokyo office. He has over 10 years of legal experience in Japan and overseas. He is admitted to practice law in both Japan and New York. He was raised in the United States and is fluent in English.

Practice Focus

Masahiro’s practice focuses on matters relating to power, gas and renewable energy. He regularly assists clients in electricity retail work, electricity market entrance, offshore wind farms, solar power plants, project acquisitions, project developments and LNG related work. In addition, he provides advice on intellectual property and dispute resolution.

Representative Legal Matters

Acted for a US electricity retailer on its successful application for an electricity retail license in Japan.
Advised a US electricity retailer on its various commercial contracts with electricity suppliers, utilities and customers in Japan.
Advised a foreign energy company on its entry into the Japanese electricity market.
Advised a foreign investor on its virtual power plant (VPP) business in Japan.
Advised a US energy management service provider on its partnership with a major Japanese utility.
Acted for a major Japanese utility on its overseas power projects assets merger with another Japanese utility, including power projects in Middle East and North America.
Acted for a major Japanese utility on its acquisition of a US power project with capacity of over 900 MW.
Acted for various foreign project developers on their acquisition of renewable energy projects in Japan.
Advised various foreign project developers on their development of renewable energy projects in Japan.
Advised a foreign project developer on its EPC contract for a renewable energy project in Japan.

Professional Associations and Memberships

Daini Tokyo Bar Association - Member
New York Bar Association - Member
Japan Wind Power Association - Member
Asia Wind Energy Association - Member

Admissions

New York~United States (2008)
Japan (2004)

Education

Georgetown University Law Center (LLM) (2007)
Kyoto University (LLB) (1999)

Languages

English
Japanese

Publications

Co-author, Forthcoming legislation could spur development of Japanese offshore wind projects, Offshore Wind Journal, February 2018, Language: English

Co-author, Japan's retail electricity market: frequently asked questions from foreign entrants, Baker & McKenzie, August 2017, Language: English

Presentations

Speaker, "New Japanese Offshore Wind Law - and its impact on contract practice," Kinyu Facsimile Shimbunsha Seminar, FN Communications, January 2019

Speaker, "New Japanese Offshore Wind Bill - a comparison against the UK offshore wind regulations," Japan Planning Institute Special Seminar, Japan Planning Institute, November 2018

Speaker, "New Japanese Offshore Wind Bill - the proposed scheme and its impact on contract practice," Kinyu Facsimile Shimbunsha Seminar, FN Communications, August 2018

Baker & McKenzie (Gaikokuho Joint Enterprise) is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.