Miura & Partners announced plans to open a new office in Naha, Okinawa, in January 2027, expanding its Japanese presence as part of a broader growth strategy.
The office will open in early 2027.
Why Okinawa is attracting the firm
Associate Shun Watanabe will head the Okinawa location. He told Asia Business Law Journal that the decision reflects the island’s “rapidly expanding business sector.” The region has seen a surge in startups, increased tourism, and a wave of digital transformation that is reshaping local demand for legal counsel.
Watanabe noted that companies facing generational succession are seeking advice on mergers and acquisitions, business succession, and restructuring. “In response to these developments, the firm decided to establish an office in Okinawa to offer local businesses an additional choice for a full‑service legal offering across a broad range of practice areas,” he said.
Services the new office will provide
The Naha office will staff two lawyers who will draw on the network of roughly 150 attorneys nationwide. Clients can expect assistance in M&A, succession planning, restructuring, startup support, and cross‑border matters such as inbound investment, including overseas funding of tourism projects.
According to the firm, the office will be equipped to handle “all practice areas,” with a focus on tailoring services to the unique needs of Okinawan businesses. The approach aims to give companies a single point of contact for issues that previously required multiple specialists.
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Two lawyers may struggle to cover the full spectrum of services promised, especially if demand spikes as the island’s economy continues to diversify.
Broader expansion plans
Miura & Partners currently operates six offices in Japan—Otemachi, Shibuya, Kanda, Nagoya, Osaka and Hiroshima—and maintains a presence in several Asia‑Pacific cities, including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. In the United States, the firm has offices in San Francisco and Seattle, and a European outpost in London.
Later this year, it intends to open a new office in Plano, Texas, adding to its international footprint. Watanabe said the eighth year since founding has seen growth to “seven offices in Japan, including Okinawa, and eight overseas.” He added that the firm will keep evaluating expansion opportunities that align with client and market needs.
Future moves could signal a trend of regional law firms targeting peripheral markets that are experiencing rapid economic change. If the office can deliver on its promise of localized service, it may become a model for similar expansions in other emerging Japanese locales.
For more context on Okinawa’s economic development, see the Wikipedia entry on Okinawa Prefecture.
