Japanese 'big four' firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto has announced the elevation of nine of its lawyers to partnership positions.

Naoki Ishikawa, Akiko Sueoka, Hideki Utsunomiya, Taro Omoto, Mitsue Tanaka, Koji Toshima, Ryota Yamasaki, Shinichiro Yoshiba and Hiroko Yotsumoto will become partners of the firm.

The appointments are spread evenly across the firm's practice areas with a particular emphasis on bolstering the firms M&A, insolvency & restructuring and capital markets capabilities.

Last May, the firm promoted six associates to partnership positions. In September last year it brought on board former Tokyo prosecutor general Keiichi Tadaki as a special counsel.