“He is excellent. He has strong passion and enthusiasm to make deals successful for clients, and he goes the extra mile in his efforts.” “Clearly, he is one of the most experienced lawyers in Tokyo in the field of investor engagement.”
Biography
Nels Hansen is a partner in our Corporate/M&A practice group, based in Tokyo. He has helped clients complete hundreds of billions of dollars in completed mergers and acquisitions, hostile or contested transactions, investments and joint ventures, acting primarily for technology, media and telecommunications companies, energy-related companies and private equity and venture capital funds.
He also has assisted numerous targets of activist shareholder situations in the US and Japan. This experience, together with mandates on behalf of engagement and/or activist hedge funds themselves in the US and Japan, helps our Tokyo team to guide Japanese and international clients in activist shareholder situations with a uniquely global perspective and understanding of both sides of the table.
His assistance of international clients with public and private company targeted M&A in the US, Japan and Europe, and private equity and venture capital investment in Asia, Europe and the US, form the core of his practice. In 2018, the FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific Awards selected Nels as a 'Commended' lawyer in the 'Accessing New Capital and Markets' category for assisting a client in a combined venture capital and project financing.
Nels has served on the Japanese Law Translation Council of the Ministry of Justice since April 2020. Since 2015, Nels has served at Keio Law School as the lecturer for the course "M&A and Strategic Alliances." Nels previously worked in Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry and at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade & Industry.
He is a member of the Tokyo Bar Association.
Experience
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TSE:6503), a Japanese multinational electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company, on its acquisition of Nozomi Networks, Inc., a U.S.-based developer and distributor of operational technology (OT) security solutions, for circa US$1 billion. (2025)
Yamauchi-No.10 Family Office, the family office of the Yamauchi family which started and built up the global gaming giant Nintendo, in its unsolicited counterbid to acquire Toyo Construction (TSE: 1890) to privatize the Japanese construction company at an offer price of JPY 1,255 per share, or approximately JPY 118 billion in total, its related successful campaign to replace a majority of Toyo Construction's board of directors by shareholder proposal and its subsequent sale of Toyo Construction to Taisei Corporation for approximately JPY 160 billion. (2022-2025)
EQT, a global private equity firm on its acquisition of Fujitec (TSE: 6406), wherein EQT entered into tender and support agreements with each of Oasis and Farallon. (2025)
Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TSE: 8015), a leading Japanese trading company, on its landmark US$1.34 billion acquisition of Radius Recycling, Inc. (Nasdaq: RDUS), a North American metal recycling and steel manufacturing company. (2025)
Mizuho Financial Group Inc., (TSE:8411), a Japanese banking holding company, on its sale of its global custody and related businesses outside of Japan, currently handled by Mizuho entities in the United States and Luxembourg, to State Street Bank and Trust Company, an American financial services and banking holding company. (2025)
Qatar Investment Authority ("QIA"), the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar, on its investment in Mujin, Inc., a Japanese robotics startup and a global leader in automation technology, in its Series D financing round, which raised a total of USD 233 million, with USD 133 million in equity co-led by QIA and NTT Group and an additional USD 100 million in debt financing from leading Japanese financial institutions. This represents the largest venture finance in Japan in 2025. (2025)
Yanagi Capital Partners, a newly formed private equity fund manager focused on supporting Japanese consumer companies in accessing new markets and growing their international revenues, in its investment in Ci FLAVORS Co., Ltd. (Japan). Yanagi is a joint venture between Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group (Thailand) and CTBC Financial Holding (Taiwan). (2025)
SilverCape Investments Limited, a Singapore based family office, on its announced deal-topping bid by tender offer for all outstanding shares of Digital Holdings, Inc., a Japanese listed company engaged in digital marketing and advertising, financial services and investment businesses, that are not already owned by SilverCape. The potential tender offer by SilverCape is a counter-offer against the existing tender offer by Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc., a Japanese listed advertising company. (2025)
Taiyo Pacific Partners, an asset management firm, in its management buy-out acquisition of Roland DG Corporation (TSE: 6789) for approximately JPY66 billion, outbidding an unsolicited interloper, Brother Industries Ltd. (TSE: 6448), via its tender offer. (2024)
MIRI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC on its acquisition and privatization of NC Holdings Co., Ltd. through a tender offer. NC Holdings runs conveyor, multi-story parking equipment and renewable energy businesses and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 6236). (2024)
Corporate/M&A: International – Japan, Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019-2026
Leading partners: Gaiben, Corporate and M&A: International firms and joint ventures – Japan, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025-2026
Leading partners: Gaiben, TMT: International firms and joint ventures – Japan, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024-2026
Notable practitioner: M&A – Japan, IFLR1000 2023-2025