Christopher Kodama
Head of Japan practice. Advises Japanese and international companies and financial institutions on a range of global capital markets matters. Proficient in Japanese.
Chris is the head of our Japan practice. He advises major Japanese and international companies and financial institutions, as well as Japanese governmental entities, on a broad range of global capital markets transactions, including IPOs and follow-on equity offerings, offerings of senior and subordinated debt securities, and the establishment and maintenance of SEC-registered shelf and MTN programs. He has extensive experience on securities offerings by Japan’s leading financial institutions, including SEC-registered and exempt offerings of regulatory capital instruments, covered bonds and green/sustainability bonds.
Chris also advises Japanese companies in connection with U.S. public reporting obligations and corporate governance requirements and on cross-border tender offers, spinoffs, share exchanges and other strategic corporate transactions involving U.S. securities laws. He is proficient in Japanese.
Experience
Debt / Hybrid Securities
- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, ORIX and Roper Technologies on SEC-registered offerings of senior debt
- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group on its SEC-registered and Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of Tier 2 subordinated debt
- Panasonic, the Development Bank of Japan, Mitsubishi HC Capital (formerly Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance), Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, the Metropolis of Tokyo and Japan Finance Organization for Municipalities on Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of senior debt
- Nippon Life Insurance and Sumitomo Life Insurance on Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of subordinated debt
- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking on its establishment of a GMTN program and its Section 3(a)(2) offerings of senior debt securities thereunder
- Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank as co-guarantor in connection with the establishment of a guaranteed secured obligation programme and Rule 144A/Reg S offering of covered obligations thereunder
- The underwriters on SEC-registered offerings of senior debt by Mizuho Financial Group, Toyota Motor, NIKE, NetApp and Allergan
- The initial purchasers on:
- Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of senior debt by NTT Group, Nissan Motors, Seven & i Holdings, Toyota Industries and Central Japan Railway
- Rule 144A/Reg S offerings of subordinated debt by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance
- Convertible debt offerings by Infinera and JDS Uniphase, and a high-yield debt offering by Brocade Communications
- Green and sustainability bond offerings by Toyota Motor, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, the Development Bank of Japan and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
Equity Securities
- Plaid and Sushiro Global Holdings on Rule 144A/Reg S global IPOs and TSE listings
- The initial purchasers on:
- Rule 144A/Reg S global IPOs and TSE listings for Visional, Appier, Roland, SoftBank, Macromill, KATITAS, Arteria Networks and Forum Engineering
- Rule 144A/Reg S global follow-on offerings by Nissin Foods, Recruit Holdings, SoftBank, Asahi Group, SBI Shinsei Bank, NanoCarrier and Sosei Group
- ORIX on its SEC-registered offering of common stock/ADSs
- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group on its NYSE listing
- Tokyu Fudosan Holdings on its debut Rule 144A/Reg S global follow-on offering
- The underwriters on SEC-registered IPOs and listings by Splunk (Nasdaq) and Cvent (NYSE)
- The underwriters on SEC-registered follow-on offerings by Splunk, Sterling Financial and Onyx Pharmaceuticals
Recognition
Chambers Asia-Pacific and Chambers Global – Capital Markets: International: US Law, Japan
IFLR1000 – Capital Markets (Debt, Derivatives, Equity), Japan, Highly Regarded
Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Capital Markets: International Firms and Joint Ventures, Japan, Rising Star
Education
Prior experience
- Tokyo office, 2007-2011 and 2013-present
- Northern California office, 2011-2013
- New York office, 2006-2007
Qualifications and admissions
- Japan, Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi, Dai-Ichi Tokyo
- State of California
- State of New York