A&O Shearman hires partner Rintaro Hirano from Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, one of the big four in Japan, in a historic first for an international law firm in Tokyo.
Hirano, formerly a finance practice partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, will start in his new role at A&O Shearman’s Tokyo office at the end of April 2026.
Nick Wall, regional managing partner for Japan and Korea at A&O Shearman, offered further insight. “His appointment is a landmark for our Tokyo office – the first time a finance partner has moved from a big four Japanese law firm to an international firm – giving us a Japanese-law leveraged finance capability that is rare among international firms in Japan,” Wall told Asia Business Law Journal.
Wall added that Hirano’s appointment comes amid “sustained client demand in Japan’s private equity, leveraged finance and private credit markets”, which had been “driven by increasing inbound M&A activity from global sponsors”.
Hirano spent nearly 25 years at Nagashima, Ohno & Tsunematsu, where he most recently served as a partner in the firm’s finance practice.
He specialises in a broad range of debt finance matters, including leveraged finance, as well as financing for energy, infrastructure and real estate.
With Hirano’s impending arrival, Wall hinted at further hires in Tokyo. A&O Shearman was “looking to further strengthen our Japanese law offering”, he said.
