Major Practice Areas
Antitrust and Competition Law / Risk Management and Compliance / Mergers & Acquisitions / Consumer Protection / Dispute Resolution / Distribution & Retail / Manufacturing / Energy / Pharmaceuticals
Other Practice Areas
Intellectual Property
Languages
Japanese

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 – PresentKitahama Partners, Partner
Mar 2009Finished term as Specific-Term Official
Sep 2008Assigned 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 2006Appointed 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 2003Graduated from the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan; Admitted to practice in Japan; Joined Kitahama Partners
Mar 2002Kobe University Graduate School of Law (LL.M.)
Mar 2001Kobe University (LL.B.)

Other Activities

Apr 2023 – PresentAdjunct Professor, Kobe University Law School (R&W Economic Law I/II)
Jul 2020 – PresentSpecial 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 2020Secretary, Working Group on Issue of Antitrust Law Amendments, Japan Federation of Bar Associations
Sep 2016 – Mar 2020Professor, Kobe University Graduate School of Law
2012Adjunct Professor, Osaka University Graduate School of Law (Advanced Specialized Litigation)
2009Adjunct Professor, Osaka University Graduate School of Law (Economic Law Seminar)

Memberships

Jul 2019 – PresentManager 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 – PresentAssistant chief of Kansai branch, Japan In-House Lawyers Association
Oct 2011 – PresentPromoter, Member and Manager, Study Group of Practical Competition Law
Oct 2010 – PresentMember, Japan Association of Economic Law
Apr 2010 – PresentMember, Kansai Study Group of Economic Law
Jun 2008 – PresentMember, Competition Law Forum
Jan 2008 – PresentMember and Associate, Japan In-House Lawyers Association
Dec 2004 – PresentMember, Practical Study Group of Antitrust Law, Osaka Bar Association

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