Announcements
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our founder, Mr. Yasuharu Nagashima, who practiced with our firm until 2016. Mr. Nagashima passed away on November 18, 2024, at the age of 98. Funeral services were privately held by his family. In consideration of the family’s wishes, we plan to hold a memorial service at a later date in honor of Mr. Nagashima for current and former lawyers and staff who benefited from his mentorship and guidance during his tenure at the firm to pay their respects.
Early Life and Education
Mr. Yasuharu Nagashima was born in Fukushima Prefecture on June 22, 1926. He spent his formative years in Sendagaya, Tokyo. During World War II in 1943, he entered the Army Preparatory Military School and advanced to the Air Force Military School the following year. As air raids intensified and made training on the mainland difficult, he was assigned to Manchuria for flight training, where he remained until the end of the war.
After the war, he enrolled in the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo in 1946, and upon graduating, he joined Mitsubishi Kasei Co., Ltd. (now Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), where he was assigned to the Documentation Department. He later entered the Legal Training and Research Institute of Japan (5th class) and was admitted to the bar in 1953 (the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association), joining the Shozawa Michio Law Office.
Professional Career
In 1961, Mr. Nagashima co-founded Shozawa & Nagashima with three other lawyers, including Yoshio Ohno. The firm was later renamed Nagashima & Ohno. From 1961 to 1964, Mr. Nagashima pursued advanced studies in the United States under a scholarship from the Legal Training and Research Institute’s overseas study program supported by the Ford Foundation. He earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School and gained practical legal experience in U.S. legal practice and management at law firms in Boston and New York.
Upon returning to Japan in 1964, Mr. Nagashima pioneered the entry of Japanese law firms into international legal practice, a field then dominated by foreign-affiliated law firms. He achieved remarkable success in numerous high-profile transactions and disputes, earning widespread international recognition for his expertise.
As managing partner, Mr. Nagashima demonstrated exceptional leadership in the management of the firm. Drawing on his experience in the United States, he spearheaded the firm’s expansion, organization, and specialization, laying the foundation for the firm as it stands today. In 1996, he stepped down as a partner of the firm in accordance with the retirement policy that the firm had established under his leadership. He continued to practice law and mentor younger lawyers as Of-Counsel and Senior Advisor until his retirement from the firm in 2016.
Contributions Beyond the Firm
Beyond the firm, Mr. Nagashima served as a board member for major companies and held positions as a visiting professor and lecturer at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School.