English-speaking lawyers in Tokyo

English-speaking lawyers in Tokyo serve one of the largest foreign communities in Asia. Americans, Britons, Australians and Indians work for global banks, tech firms and schools across the capital, and many more arrive each year on short postings.

The questions they bring are fairly predictable. Visa status and renewals go through the Immigration Services Agency. Lease disputes often turn on key money and deposit deductions. Dismissals, unpaid overtime and non-compete clauses come up in employment files. International divorce is a sensitive area, since Japan joined the Hague child abduction convention and family courts follow their own mediation steps.

Japanese lawyers hold the title bengoshi, and the city has three bar associations that keep public member lists. Proceedings in Tokyo courts are conducted in Japanese, so foreign documents usually need a Japanese translation signed by the translator, and the court may appoint an interpreter for hearings. Ask a Tokyo firm who will appear for you and how billing works before you sign anything. Compare the firms below and contact them directly.