Attorney Profiles

Bungo Kubo focuses on competition law and corporate law.
He advises on a wide variety of competition law matters, including abuses of dominance, compliance programs, cartel investigations, merger control, and other commercial arrangements (such as distribution, technology licensing, R&D, joint ventures and cooperation agreements).
His experiences include having worked as a visiting attorney in the Brussels offices of a leading competition law firm, Van Bael & Bellis. Also, he has experience working as a case handler at the M&A Division of the Japan Fair Trade Commission.
Further, he routinely advises on a wide range of international business transactions.
His practice covers a broad range of sectors, including basic industries, automotive, retail and food, building materials, chemicals, and financial services.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Education

• King's College London (LL.M in Competition Law 2019)
• London School of Economics and Political Science (Certificate in Introduction to Corporate Law and Governance 2019)
• Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan (2007)
• Chuo Law School (J.D., 2006)
• Waseda University (LL.B., 2000)

Admissions and Certifications

• Admitted in Japan, 2007- (Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association)
• Japan Competition Law Forum

Other Activities

• Non-Governmental Advisor of International Competition Network (ICN) (2024-present)
• Mergers and Acquisitions Division of the Economic Affairs Bureau, General Secretariat of Japan Fair Trade Commission (2022－2024)
• Nippon Steel Corporation International Affairs Department, Legal Division (2020－2022) (secondment)
• Van Bael & Bellis (Brussels office) (2019－2020) Competition Law Group, Data Protection Group, Visiting Attorney
• Nippon Steel Corporation (2010－2012) in-house counsel (secondment)

Publications

• “Basic knowledge of merger review for M&A practitioners - The Japan Fair Trade Commission's perspective and recent notable cases”(2024, M&A Research Report)
• “Intellectual Property Licensing Practices and Anti-trust Compliance” (2018, LexisNexis Japan)
• “Practical Strategies for merger control in Japan”(2017, LexisNexis Japan)
• “Detailed Commentary of the Ministerial Ordinance for Revision of Companies Act”(2016, Seibunsha)
• “Commentary for Revision of Companies Act and the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Companies Act”(2015, Shin Nihon Hoki)
• “Theories and Practices of Corporate Restructuring -All about corporate restructuring-”(2014, Shoji Homu)