TOKYO, July 05, 2007 – Morrison & Foerster announced today that Shingo Hisata has joined Ito & Mitomi, Morrison & Foerster’s Registered Associated Office, as a partner in the Business Department, together with a team of six China- registered attorneys.  Mr. Hisata and this team focus on China and other cross-border transactions, specifically in the areas of joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and licensing.The addition of Mr. Hisata and the team further expands Morrison & Foerster’s strong China legal services capability in Tokyo and the Asia region.

Morrison & Foerster is one of the leading global law firms in the region, with over 90 attorneys in Tokyo, and close to 150 in the region as a whole.  Mr. Hisata’s team joins the strong Tokyo office with Morrison’s network of three offices in China: in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Fuyuo Mitomi, the head of Ito & Mitomi, said “The addition of Mr. Hisata and his team significantly boosts our China legal services. His established background with cross-border transactions, particularly with regard to China, will play a significant role in further developing our practice in Tokyo and the region.”

Ken Siegel, Managing Partner of the firm’s Tokyo office, said “Mr. Hisata is one of the most experienced China legal specialists in Tokyo today.  With the addition of Mr. Hisata, we are the only major firm in Japan with both focused China-law specialists in Tokyo and a network of substantial offices in China’s key financial centers with US and UK law expertise.  This will allow us to extend the range of services we offer to Japanese companies as they continue to expand their critical investments in China.”

Mr. Hisata received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo in 1977, graduated from the Legal Training and Research Institute of Japan in 1986, and received his LL.M. from University of Illinois College of Law in 1991.  Mr. Hisata is a Bengoshi admitted to practice in Japan, a qualified lawyer in New York, and a member of the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association.

Prior to joining Ito & Mitomi, Registered Associated Offices of Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Hisata was the Chief Representative of Asahi Law Offices in the firm’s Beijing (2000-2005) and Shanghai offices (2005-2007).  Mr. Hisata is currently a guest lecturer at Chuo Law School.

The team of six China-registered attorneys consist of Alisha, Gehui Gao (Foreign Special Members: Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi), Mang Deng, Yan Cong,Daokui Weng and Xiaofan Chen.

Separately, the legal professionals at Asahi Law Offices in Shanghai at the time of Mr. Hisata’s move also joined Morrison & Foerster’s Shanghai operation.