Top-tier Japanese law firm Mori Hamada & Matsumoto has promoted six new partners from among its associates and of-counsel as part of an annual round of promotions. The firm said the new partners are an "energetic, experienced and skilful" group.

The firm's new partners are Yukinaga Kojima (financial regulations/corporate), Yuko Noguchi (IP/dispute resolution), Yasuhiko Fujitsu (corporate finance/capital markets/ mergers & acquisitions), Yoshifumi Onodera (patents/litigation) and Airo Inoue (bankruptcy & restructuring/litigation/ mergers & acquisitions/corporate governance).

The promotions come in addition to the recent appointment of Kazuyo Ikeda, who practised as a civil and commercial law attorney at Kitayama & Doi Law Offices in Kobe before working on the drafting of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law, among others, at the Financial Services Agency between May 2005 and December 2007. The firm also recruited 19 newly qualified lawyers in January as part of its annual intake.