Miura & Partners will expand its footprint in Japan with the launch of a new office in Naha, Okinawa, in January 2027.
The initiative has been spearheaded by Shun Watanabe, currently an associate at the firm, who will lead the office when it opens.
Watanabe said the decision to establish the office reflected Okinawa’s rapidly expanding business sector.
“The business environment in Okinawa is evolving rapidly through the emergence of startups, the expansion of international business, the growth of tourism and inbound demand, and the acceleration of digital transformation. As a result, the legal needs of local businesses are becoming increasingly diverse and sophisticated,” he told Asia Business Law Journal.
“Meanwhile, there is growing demand among local companies undergoing generational succession for legal support in areas such as M&A, business succession, and restructuring. In response to these developments, M&P decided to establish an office in Okinawa to offer local businesses an additional choice for one-stop legal services across a broad range of practice areas.”
Watanabe said the Okinawa office would provide services to address client needs.
“The Okinawa Naha office will be equipped to provide legal services across all practice areas. In particular, we plan to offer a broad range of services tailored to the needs of businesses in Okinawa, including M&A, business succession and restructuring, support for startups, and cross-border matters such as inbound investment, including overseas investment in Okinawa’s tourism sector,” he said.
After the launch, the Okinawa branch will comprise two lawyers, who will work closely with Miura & Partners’ network of around 150 lawyers across its other offices.
The Okinawa expansion is part of a broader growth strategy as the firm also plans to open an office in Plano, Texas, later this year.
Miura & Partners currently operates six offices in Japan – Otemachi, Shibuya, Kanda, Nagoya, Osaka and Hiroshima. Across the Asia-Pacific region, it maintains offices in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. In the US, the firm has offices in San Francisco and Seattle, alongside a European office in London.
“In its eighth year since establishment, M&P has expanded its network to seven offices in Japan, including Okinawa, and eight overseas. We are also preparing to open our Texas office later this year. As part of our continued growth, we will continue to explore opportunities for further expansion, both in Japan and internationally, in line with client and market needs,” Watanabe said.
