Professional Summary
Kento Tanei is a member of the Employment & Compensation group at Baker McKenzie’s Tokyo office. Kento was seconded to the Japanese government Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) from April 2021 to March 2023 as a professional in labor-related laws. While at the MHLW, he was responsible for amendments to the Labor Standards Act, the Labor Contract Act and other labor-related laws.
Practice Focus
Kento handles the full range of labor/employment law matters for domestic and international companies, including general labor disputes, harassment allegations and drafting of terms and conditions of employment. He has particularly extensive experience with cases of unilateral termination and solicitation of voluntary resignation and also handles the labor law aspects of M&A and corporate reorganization projects.
Representative Clients, Cases or Matters
- Assisted various domestic and international clients in cases of unilateral termination and solicitation of voluntary resignation based on employee performance issues and/or misconduct, and in cases of redundancies and other terminations resulting from economic issues on the employer’s side (including employee transfers, unilateral termination and solicitation of voluntary resignation).
- Represented various domestic and international clients before labor tribunals and in courts of law in cases involving unilateral termination and solicitation of voluntary resignation, collective bargaining with trade unions and dealings with the Labor Standards Inspection Office and the Labor Bureau.
- Investigated harassment and/or misconduct by officers and/or employees of domestic and international clients and analyzed appropriate disciplinary measures and other actions in response.
- Assisted various domestic and international clients in drafting and reviewing employment agreements, work rules and other HR and labor-related documents, and in researching regulations on wages and working hours.
- Provided labor law-related support for M&A and corporate reorganization projects, such as deal structuring, due diligence and overall project management.
- Assisted various domestic and international clients with issues related to the Companies Act — such as the appointment and termination of directors — and HR and labor matters under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information.
Publications, Presentations and Articles
Articles
- Author, “Labor law practice for international companies doing business in Japan,” Romujijo, Sangaku Sogokenkyujo, August 2024, Language: Japanese
- Co-author, “Effective April 1, 2024: Changes to the deemed working time system for discretionary work,” Baker McKenzie Client Alert, February 2024, Language: English
- Co-author, “What effect will the ‘clear notice’ requirement on the scope of possible changes in employees’ workplaces and duties have on employment generally and on transfer and unilateral termination?” BUSINESS LAWYERS, January 2024, Language: Japanese
- Co-author, “Effective April 1, 2024: Changes to employer’s obligation to provide clear notice of terms of employment,” Baker McKenzie Client Alert, January 2024, Language: English
- Co-author, “COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Obligations and Other Considerations for Employers in Japan,” Baker McKenzie Client Alert, April 2020, Language: English
- Co-author, “Working Style Reform-related Bills,” Baker McKenzie Client Alert, July 2018, Language: English
Presentations
- Speaker, “Labor law practice for international companies doing business in Japan,” Roseijiho Seminar, July 2024, Language: Japanese
Admissions
Japan (2015)
Professional Association and Memberships
- Tokyo Bar Association – Member
Education
Keio University Law School (JD)(2014)
Waseda University (LLB)(2012)
Languages
Japanese
English