Akiko Yamakawa

Akiko specialises in employment law, dispute resolution and financial regulatory matters. She provides day-to-day employment advice to various multi-national clients, and her litigation experience includes employment litigation and general commercial litigation and arbitration. She has also led numerous teams as they conducted internal and regulatory investigations. Akiko’s clients hail from a broad range of sectors including financial services and multi-national corporations. Since August 2017, Akiko has also been serving as a member of the Basic Sub-Committee for the government’s Labour Policy Council, and in October 2021 she was also named a Public Relations Officer for the JCAA (The Japan Commercial Arbitration Association).

Admitted as a Japanese bengoshi (lawyer) in 1999, Akiko is a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association and the New York Bar. She was educated at the University of Tokyo (LLB, 1997) and the Legal Research and Training Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (1999). She completed an LL.M at Harvard Law School in 2003 and is fully bilingual.

Quotes

"Akiko is a really impressive adviser and I trust her implicitly." Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024

"Akiko Yamakawa clearly and concisely conveys her advice and opinions. She often takes into account the company’s circumstances and needs and provides realistic proposals. On top of that, her English proficiency is outstanding. She demonstrates skilled litigation assistance based on many years of experience in this field." The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024

"Akiko Yamakawa is very experienced in advising foreign entities on internal investigations and contentious employment matters involving non-compete clauses and terminations." Chambers Asia-Pacific 2025