SAKURA Law Office Launches “SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies” to Advance Legal Practice and Academic Study

TOKYO, JAPAN — SAKURA Law Office (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Managing Partner: Kenshiro Michishita) is pleased to officially announce the launch of SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies (SAKURA Hogakusha), a research initiative dedicated to advancing both legal practice and legal academic study.

Since its founding, SAKURA Law Office has operated under the core philosophy of “contributing to the development of legal infrastructure by providing clients with the highest quality legal services.” With a steadfast commitment to addressing the specific legal challenges faced by our clients, we have provided practice-grounded legal services across various fields, including corporate law, litigation, M&A, crisis management, intellectual property, international legal affairs, startup support, entertainment law, and cutting-edge areas such as Web3 and AI.

However, for a law firm to remain a truly trusted team of legal experts in society, it is essential to look beyond day-to-day case management and contract drafting. We must deeply examine the questions that arise directly from field practice, bridging theory and practice to continuously question the nature of law itself. Real-world disputes, corporate activities, transactions, negotiations, litigation, systemic imbalances, and structural societal shifts present numerous challenges that cannot be fully captured by existing statutes, judicial precedents, academic theories, or conventional practices alone. In striving to do their utmost for clients, legal professionals are constantly tasked with evaluating how effectively the law reflects societal realities, whether existing systems function adequately, and how to construct better practical and theoretical frameworks.

The establishment of the SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies stems directly from this awareness. It is neither a mere study group nor an internal training program, nor is it a simple PR initiative. Rather, it serves as an ongoing platform for research and debate where a law firm—operating at the front lines of actual disputes and business activities—can deeply reflect on its practice, foster practice backed by legal theory, and pose new questions to legal academia directly from the field.

Legal practice does not mature through daily experience alone. Conversely, legal theory loses its persuasive power and vitality if disconnected from actual cases, business operations, and societal issues. Practice without theoretical backing risks becoming ad-hoc decision-making, while theory detached from reality risks becoming abstract and hollow. SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies views theory and practice not as opposing forces, but as complementary elements that illuminate, challenge, and refine one another, aiming to build a meaningful intellectual foundation for both legal practice and legal study.

The Institute will primarily focus on key research themes such as corporate law, AI & technology law, startup legal affairs, intellectual property, international transactions, and legal compliance. These areas are of paramount importance in today’s socioeconomic landscape and demand continuous evaluation from both practical and theoretical perspectives. From the increasing sophistication of corporate activities and the rise of generative AI and data utilization, to capital policies and IP strategies for startups, complex cross-border transactions, and stronger internal controls, the challenges facing legal professionals have become unprecedentedly diverse and multifaceted.

We are honored to announce Naoki Kanayama as the founding Director of SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies. Professor Kanayama has devoted many years to research and education in civil law, comparative law, contract law, and statutes of limitations. As Professor Emeritus at Keio University, he has trained countless scholars, legal practitioners, and students. Furthermore, he has contributed to international intellectual exchange as the former Director of the Maison du Japon at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, and in recent years, has engaged in legal practice as an attorney. Welcoming Professor Kanayama—who possesses both a meticulous theoretical perspective as a scholar and a hands-on approach as a legal practitioner—as our founding Director perfectly embodies the vision of SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies.

What SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies values most is not the one-way transmission of knowledge, but a collaborative space where legal practitioners, researchers, corporate in-house counsel, and experts from diverse fields bring their experiences and insights together. Through candid discussions, rigorous examination, and constructive debate, we aim to forge a deeper understanding and better practice. For legal professionals, debate is not a mere intellectual exercise; it is an essential training ground to test arguments, identify vulnerabilities, explore alternative perspectives, and ultimately build the foundation required to safeguard clients’ interests.

Moreover, SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies strives to be an intergenerational learning community. Younger attorneys can freely raise questions encountered in their daily work, while experienced practitioners and scholars offer sincere, insightful responses. Fostering such a continuous learning environment within the firm not only elevates the quality of our legal services, but also enriches the intellectual foundation of the broader legal community.

We believe a law firm should be more than a place for resolving cases; it should serve as an entity that reinvests insights gained from practice back into society, contributes to academic legal research, and aids in cultivating legal talent. The launch of SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies marks a significant step in realizing this mission. By diligently confronting real cases, elevating practical questions into theoretical frameworks, and applying those findings back to legal practice, SAKURA Law Office will continue to deliver deeper, more dependable legal services.

Moving forward, SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies plans to launch various initiatives—including forums, seminars, study groups, panel discussions, practical reports, and research publications—to bridge the gap between legal practice and academic study. Beyond simply broadcasting information, we aim to build a platform where participants bring their practical experience and research questions to engage in earnest, meaningful dialogue. We are committed to ensuring the Institute serves both as a venue for our firm’s lawyers to refine their skills, and as an open forum for external scholars, practitioners, and corporate legal teams to engage in intellectual exchange.

Guided by our fundamental mission to “contribute to the development of legal infrastructure by providing clients with the highest quality legal services,” SAKURA Law Office will continue to prioritize our clients’ interests while advancing as a professional collective dedicated to the growth of both legal practice and legal study.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support and interest in the activities of SAKURA Law Office and SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support and interest in the activities of SAKURA Law Office and SAKURA Institute of Legal Studies.

SAKURA Law Office
Ark Hills South Tower 4F, 1-4-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan
Managing Partner: Kenshiro Michishita
Website：https://sakura-lawyers.jp