Mina Arai-Ito handles a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions for both inbound and outbound investments. She also advises on compliance, governance, and international trade law matters. As a former partner at the Tokyo office of Baker McKenzie, she has a wide experience as project manager on behalf of multinational clients in major M&A transactions and other cross-border projects. Mina Arai-Ito is currently the head of the Firm's Middle East & Africa Focus Group in Tokyo, having returned to Tokyo after spending three years at Baker McKenzie's Cairo office. She also spent significant time in Brussels, Taiwan and Washington D.C. Having practiced law in many jurisdictions around the world, Ms. Arai-Ito is truly an international lawyer with in-depth knowledge and experience in managing cross-border projects and handling difficult negotiations.

Representative Legal Matters

• Japan Egypt Business Council - Committee Member

• Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Japan - Legal Counsel

• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Istanbul, Turkey - Legal Counsel

Ms. Arai-Ito has handled the following representative cases and matters:

• Represented the United States government and assisted Mickey Kantor, then US Trade Representative, in strategizing trade negotiations.

• Advised the Egyptian government on its national public infrastructure project.

• Assisted in the Taiwan High Speed Rail BOT Project.

• Setting up regional headquarters by reorganizing/ restructuring existing subsidiaries and distributors in Asia and in the Middle East.

• Negotiated and advised on litigations, arbitrations and dispute resolutions such as termination/ dissolution of joint ventures and distributorship.

• Advised on acquisition of hospitals, local medical and insurance systems, compliance and litigations for Japanese and non-Japanese medical corporations, pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies and trading houses.

• Handled product recalls, litigations and pre-investment compliance due diligence and assisted in establishing compliance programs for Japanese and non-Japanese automakers.

• Advised on entry and business expansion strategies in the Middle East and Africa, while ensuring compliance, such as distributorships, acquisitions, joint ventures, and establishing manufacturing plants.