Overview
Shunsuke Yabuuchi is a Partner practicing in the areas of anti-monopoly law and competition law.
Mr. Yabuuchi has experience working in government with the Japan Fair Trade Commission for three years from 2006 to 2009. During his service at the Fair Trade Commission, Mr. Yabuuchi was mainly in charge of investigating cases involving violations of Japan’s Anti-Monopoly Law, the Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Presentations, and other laws, as well as being involved in hearings related to such cases.
Making use of his abundant experience in dealing with cases at the Fair Trade Commission, Mr. Yabuuchi currently focuses his practice mainly on representing companies in investigations by administrative agencies concerning the Anti-Monopoly Law, the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Presentations, and subcontracting law, conducting corporate internal investigations, assisting in notification procedures in relation to M&A transactions, counseling and advising companies, establishing compliance structures, and delivering training and lectures.
Education & Professional Career
| Jan 2012 – Present | Kitahama Partners, Partner |
| Mar 2009 | Finished term as Specific-Term Official |
| Sep 2008 | Assigned additional post, serving under the Second Chief Investigator of the Investigation Bureau and mainly engaged in hearing cases involving violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law |
| Apr 2006 | Appointed as Specific-Term Official to the Senior Specialist for Investigation at Management and Planning Division, Investigation Bureau, General Secretariat, Japan Fair Trade Commission, mainly engaged in hearing cases involving violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law and/or Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations |
| Oct 2003 | Graduated from the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan; Admitted to practice in Japan; Joined Kitahama Partners |
| Mar 2002 | Kobe University Graduate School of Law (LL.M.) |
| Mar 2001 | Kobe University (LL.B.) |
Other Activities
| Apr 2023 – Present | Adjunct Professor, Kobe University Law School (R&W Seminar Economic Law I/II) |
| Jul 2020 – Present | Special Delegated Member, Judicial System Investigation Committee, Japan Federation of Bar Associations |
| Jun 2019 – Present | Administrator, Environmental Technology Association |
| Sep 2018 – Present | Visiting Researcher, Competition Policy Research Center, Japan Fair Trade Commission |
| Aug 2017 – July 2020 | Secretary, Working Group on Issue of Antitrust Law Amendments, Japan Federation of Bar Associations |
| Sep 2016 – Mar 2020 | Professor, Kobe University Graduate School of Law |
| 2012 | Adjunct Professor, Osaka University Graduate School of Law (Advanced Specialized Litigation) |
| 2009 | Adjunct Professor, Osaka University Graduate School of Law (Economic Law Seminar) |
Memberships
| Jul 2019 – Present | Manager of the Secretariat, Competition Law Forum |
| Jan 2015 – Present | Member, Study Group of Antitrust Law, Comprehensive Legal Institute of Dai-Ichi Tokyo Bar Association |
| Jul 2013 – Present | Assistant chief of Kansai branch, Japan In-House Lawyers Association |
| Oct 2011 – Present | Promoter, Member and Manager, Study Group of Practical Competition Law |
| Oct 2010 – Present | Member, Japan Association of Economic Law |
| Apr 2010 – Present | Member, Kansai Study Group of Economic Law |
| Jun 2008 – Present | Member, Competition Law Forum |
| Jan 2008 – Present | Member and Associate, Japan In-House Lawyers Association |
| Dec 2004 – Present | Member, Practical Study Group of Antitrust Law, Osaka Bar Association |