[Press Release] SAKURA Law Office Appoints Daishiro Okada, Former President of Square Enix, Inc. (USA), as Executive Advisor
Since its inception, SAKURA Law Office has operated under the core philosophy of “contributing to the development of legal infrastructure by providing clients with the highest quality of legal services.” The firm has consistently delivered practical legal solutions across corporate law, litigation, M&A, crisis management, intellectual property, international legal affairs, startup support, entertainment law, and cutting-edge fields such as Web3 and AI.
In today’s business landscape, however, simply providing legal theories is no longer enough to address the complex challenges faced by corporations and society. There is an unprecedented need for a holistic perspective that integrates legal strategies into corporate management and societal frameworks—comprehensively factoring in corporate governance, human capital, organizational culture, technology, international expansion, local communities, and the creative industries.
Driven by this vision, SAKURA Law Office welcomes Mr. Okada, who has spent decades pioneering initiatives across these diverse sectors. His appointment will significantly strengthen the firm’s management foundation, organizational capabilities, brand value, external communication, and client support frameworks.
After beginning his career at The Industrial Bank of Japan, Ltd. (now Mizuho Bank, Ltd.), Mr. Okada accumulated extensive expertise in financial operations, international transactions, taxation, and organizational management. He later joined the Deutsche Bank Group as Director and Head of Taxes, where he oversaw international taxation and developed a sophisticated understanding of tax strategies, compliance, risk management, and global operations within a premier global financial institution. This experience in managing cross-border transactions, regulatory frameworks, and corporate governance laid the foundation for his practical business acumen.
In 2005, Mr. Okada joined Square Enix Co., Ltd., and served as President of its U.S. subsidiary, Square Enix, Inc., until 2007. As the former leader of its U.S. operations, he navigated global business expansion, localized subsidiary management, cross-cultural leadership, and the complex management challenges unique to the entertainment and content industry. His time at the forefront of globalizing Japanese intellectual property gave him profound insights into IP management, creator support, overseas business development, and brand strategy.
Upon returning to Japan, he served as Head of General Affairs at the Square Enix headquarters. Tasked with organizational and work-style reform, he dedicated himself to creating environments where creative talent could thrive. Rather than limiting his focus to traditional administrative duties, Mr. Okada designed synergistic workplaces where creators, engineers, business units, and corporate functions could connect to drive innovation. This pioneering approach to building supportive cultures and communication environments holds immense relevance today, mirroring modern corporate emphasis on human capital management and employee well-being.
Since 2017, Mr. Okada has served as a Director of the Japan Life Shift Association, championing social awareness and practical frameworks for career development, work-style flexibility, lifelong learning, and well-being in the era of the 100-year lifespan. In January 2019, he founded HLD Lab Inc., a venture dedicated to realizing a society where individuals, organizations, and regions can unlock their potential and co-create value centered around happiness.
Furthermore, Mr. Okada actively contributes to social co-creation initiatives as Executive Director of the Japan DX Regional Revitalization Support Association, Special Advisor to the Japan Workation Association, and Director of the Game Culture Association. His efforts bridge the gaps between urban and regional areas, corporations and communities, physical and digital realms, work and life, and industry and culture, paving the way for the future of value creation in Japanese society.
At SAKURA Law Office, Mr. Okada will provide multi-faceted strategic guidance to enhance the firm’s business strategies, fortify its organizational foundation, elevate its brand value, and sophisticatedly upgrade its client support systems.
His expertise will be particularly invaluable in corporate law, enabling the firm to build legal strategies that adapt to shifting business environments, foster human capital-centered organizations, offer legal backing to the creative and content industries, design new social models for the DX/Web3 era, and seamlessly connect corporate activities with regional revitalization.
While upholding its rigorous legal expertise, SAKURA Law Office views legal services not as an isolated discipline, but as vital social infrastructure supporting corporations, communities, culture, technology, and human well-being. Welcoming Mr. Okada—with his proven track record in global management—is a definitive step toward turning this vision into reality, ensuring the firm delivers more advanced, practical, and comprehensive legal services to its clients.
Moving forward, SAKURA Law Office will leverage Mr. Okada’s insights to build a robust support system with broader perspectives and deeper practical capabilities in corporate law, international legal affairs, intellectual property, entertainment law, regional revitalization, human capital management, and DX/Web3. The firm is committed to growing as a trusted partner capable of delivering effective solutions that transcend legal doctrine to encompass management, organization, culture, and social value.
Guided by its foundational mission to “contribute to the development of legal infrastructure by providing clients with the highest quality of legal services,” SAKURA Law Office will continue to evolve as a highly trusted group of professionals, dedicated to securing the future of its clients and fostering sustainable social development.
For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact:
SAKURA Law Office
〒106-0032
4th Floor, Ark Hills South Tower,
1-4-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo,Japan
Managing Partner: Kenshiro Michishita
Web：https://sakura-lawyers.jp