Parents in the law in Japan

Written By Jayne Nakata
 
 

We wanted to inspire as many women as possible who are working parents in Japan and particularly those working in the law, so we have created a compilation of the episodes where our guests talk about their careers and also mention parenting. In some episodes, there may be references to how parental leave was handled or how childcare works with the busy schedule of being a lawyer. Lawyers featured in these episodes are parents or support people who are parents.

We hope that you will also feel inspired by these women who are making waves in Japan.

Featured
Go around the rocks: Be fluid like water for a successful legal career in Japan with Mina Hoshizawa
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Go around the rocks: Be fluid like water for a successful legal career in Japan with Mina Hoshizawa
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Meet Mina Hoshizawa, a dynamic in-house legal counsel who has built her career on adaptability and genuine connection. Now leading legal and compliance functions at Nihon Servier, she shares candid insights about unlearning perfectionism, embracing vulnerability as a leadership strength, and why being fluid like water has been her career superpower. If you are considering the transition to an in-house position or thinking you might skip the law firm experience and focus on in-house, this is the episode for you.

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Natural progression: From the legal world to the diplomatic world with Ambassador Garcia-Albano 
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Natural progression: From the legal world to the diplomatic world with Ambassador Garcia-Albano 
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Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano is the first female Philippine Ambassador to Japan and has carved a path from corporate law through politics to international diplomacy. Ambassador Garcia-Albano shares how her family's legal legacy, a pivotal pro bono case that led to a murder exoneration, and her philosophy of "doing your best in everything" propelled her through nine years in Congress in the Philippines, to representing 340,000 Filipino citizens living and working in Japan. Ambassador Garcia-Albano explains how legal training provides the perfect foundation for diplomatic success. Listen in to hear the differences between being a corporate lawyer and diplomatic work.

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From Competitor to Trailblazer: Olga Belosludova's Historic Japanese Bar Exam Journey
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From Competitor to Trailblazer: Olga Belosludova's Historic Japanese Bar Exam Journey
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Meet Olga Belosludova, a trailblazing attorney who made history as the first Russian woman to pass the notoriously difficult Japanese bar exam. Born in Siberia, she came to Japan with her family at age two. Olga's journey from a competitive childhood dream to becoming a qualified lawyer in three jurisdictions is nothing short of extraordinary. Her story offers invaluable insights into navigating Japan's legal landscape as a foreign professional, the importance of visibility in service, and practical strategies for building a successful international legal career.

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Infusing the Art of Tea, Languages and Law for a Successful Career in Japan with Naoko Tahara
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Infusing the Art of Tea, Languages and Law for a Successful Career in Japan with Naoko Tahara
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Naoko Tahara is Senior Manager of Legal Japan at Olympus Corporation. As a new recruit to a law firm, she took the chance to study Chinese intensively when some of her cohort said she shouldn’t. Listen to hear what happened next in this fascinating career dive with Naoko. If you are wondering if the challenging opportunity that has landed at your feet is really for you, then this is the episode for you!

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From sales to a legal career at Amazon Japan with Michiko Hirai
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From sales to a legal career at Amazon Japan with Michiko Hirai
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Do you really need law firm experience to have a great legal career in Japan? Let’s hear another diverse story, this time from Michiko Hirai, in-house counsel at Amazon Web Services Japan. Discover her untraditional journey from sales in the semiconductor industry to law and how she uses her experience in building business relationships to be a stand out member of her team. 

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Leaning into your legal career in Japan with Emi Takeda
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Leaning into your legal career in Japan with Emi Takeda
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Emi Takeda is General Counsel for Japan at Accenture. It was a pleasant surprise to hear about Emi’s passion for sake and wine as well as the law, and how she managed to overcome the culture shock of acclimatising to big city life upon arriving at Tokyo University, having come from being a student from Fuji City. If you are wondering what it’s like to lead a team of over 100 lawyers, like Emi does, then enjoy listening as she shares insights into the challenges and rewards of managing large legal teams, embracing leadership roles, and the work-life “juggle” while raising a family.

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Creating your own path and embracing authenticity in the law and in governance with Ako Shimada
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Creating your own path and embracing authenticity in the law and in governance with Ako Shimada
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Ako Shimada is the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Ushio America Inc. Ako also serves as General Counsel for Ushio Europe BV and is an independent director for Fujitech. She shares her story of embracing her Japanese heritage and transforming her career. The discussion covers her journey from growing up in Japan to pursuing law in the U.S., her experiences in litigation and in-house roles, and her strategic approach to seeking board positions. You will hear a story of someone who is brave in speaking up about what they would like to do. Listen as each piece falls into place!

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Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Keys to Success in the law in Japan with Yuko Kaneko
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Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Keys to Success in the law in Japan with Yuko Kaneko
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Yuko Kaneko is Director and Corporate Counsel of the Business Legal Department at Renesas Electronic Corporation. Yuko discusses her career journey, starting as an attorney at Nishimura Asahi before transitioning to in-house roles. A career can span many years and so we discuss career longevity, the importance of continuous learning, and balancing professional and personal life. If you are looking for a role model of how to do a legal career in Japan then please listen to Yuko’s story.

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Navigating Maritime Law: A Journey around the world to Japan with Gillian Musgrave
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Navigating Maritime Law: A Journey around the world to Japan with Gillian Musgrave
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Gillian Musgrave is a seasoned lawyer with a rich background in maritime law and marine insurance. Gillian shares her journey from qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales to working internationally in London, Italy, New York, Singapore, and now as an in-house consultant in Tokyo. We go on a voyage of discovery into the depths of a truly fascinating and not so well known area of the law. Grab your sea legs, let’s get into it!

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Leading with Empathy: Toshimi Itakura's vision for a thriving legal team
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Leading with Empathy: Toshimi Itakura's vision for a thriving legal team
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If you are at a crossroads and wondering if you should give up on that dream that hasn’t come true yet, then this is the episode for you. Toshimi Itakura is the General Manager of the Legal Department at Sojitz Corporation. Toshimi shares her inspiring career journey over more than 20 years and her professional experiences in the United States and London. Toshimi discusses her approach to career growth, emphasizing the importance of focusing on achievements rather than specific job titles and shares valuable tips on time management, leadership, and mentoring. You are going to love hearing from this ground breaker in the Tokyo legal world!

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Becoming the Heroine of Your Journey: From Assistant's assistant to Legal Powerhouse - Seizing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges with Hiroko Miyazaki
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Becoming the Heroine of Your Journey: From Assistant's assistant to Legal Powerhouse - Seizing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges with Hiroko Miyazaki
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Hiroko Miyazaki is a legal luminary who has made her mark across various prestigious roles in Japan's corporate legal landscape. From her modest beginnings as a part-time law firm assistant to her ascent to Managing Director at 3M Japan, Hiroko's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and growth mindset. She opens up about her strategies for overcoming failure, the value of prioritizing tasks, and the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Pour yourself a glass of sake - Hiroko’s favourite - and join us for a conversation that promises to enlighten and inspire anyone aiming to master their leadership presence.

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A blue ocean journey as in-house counsel and legal pioneer in Japan with Akiko Kawaguchi
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A blue ocean journey as in-house counsel and legal pioneer in Japan with Akiko Kawaguchi
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Dive into the inspiring journey of Akiko Kawaguchi, a true pioneer in the Japanese legal world. Akiko shares her groundbreaking path of becoming the first Japanese qualified lawyer at Mitsubishi Corporation. In this episode, Akiko reflects on the historical events that shaped her pursuit of justice and logic, her courageous leap into the blue ocean of in-house counsel, and her belief in the transformative power of young minds. Tune in to discover how Akiko's passion for curiosity, continuous learning and embracing new challenges is shaping the future of law.

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Embracing change in law: Olga V. Mack's insights on technology, personal branding & thought leadership
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Embracing change in law: Olga V. Mack's insights on technology, personal branding & thought leadership
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I am thrilled to welcome Olga V. Mack, a renowned contributor to thought leadership on law and tech to the Lawyer on Air podcast. Olga takes us on a captivating journey, sharing her experiences from integrating art, science, and law to her impactful presence on LinkedIn and the evolution of her own podcast, "Notes to My Legal Self." Join us as we delve into her alternative to mentorship, AI innovation, and the power of individual excellence in the legal landscape. If like Olga, you do not like to wait in line, learn how you can be at the forefront of the exciting changes happening in the legal industry today.

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Making Partner in a Big Four Japanese Law Firm with Madoka Shimada
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Making Partner in a Big Four Japanese Law Firm with Madoka Shimada
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Madoka Shimada is Partner at Nishimura and Asahi, one of the “Big Four” law firms in Japan. You might have heard some things about what it’s like to work there but Madoka shares some of the innovations and how she has carved out a unique career for herself with her interesting combination of qualifications.

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Exploring Legal Ops in Japan: An inspiring career path in law and tech with Vivien Clancy
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Exploring Legal Ops in Japan: An inspiring career path in law and tech with Vivien Clancy
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Vivien Clancy has a wealth of experience in the legal operations space which she brings to her current position in the Tokyo office of Herbert Smith Freehills. Vivien’s adventures and zest for life have all contributed to her fascinating career experiences. It goes to show that all experiences lead you to that next iteration of your career. If you are considering a legal operations role and wondering where to start, then this is the episode for you.

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Working in-house and at a law firm concurrently in Japan with Yuka Yamada
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Working in-house and at a law firm concurrently in Japan with Yuka Yamada
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Yuka Yamada has taken on an exciting adjacent working path in addition to being General Counsel, Head of Legal and Compliance at Mercedez-Benz Finance Japan, she is also Counsel at GI&T Law Firm. This is really an unusual opportunity and yet another way to do law differently. We are thrilled to bring you this episode to hear more about how Yuka is able to do this and what has been her career path to date to enable such a fantastic way of working.

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Using your law degree without being a lawyer at top companies in Japan with Tomoko Konishi
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Using your law degree without being a lawyer at top companies in Japan with Tomoko Konishi
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If you have finished your law degree but are not sure if you want to work as a “lawyer”, you might consider going to an in-house role such as Tomoko Konishi has done. Tomoko has had a truly varied career so far and is now working in corporate governance. With a law degree you really are able to serve society from all kinds of angles, this time Tomoko is doing it her own way, listen to hear more!

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Navigating remote international work and work-life balance challenges with Sawako Ohgi
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Navigating remote international work and work-life balance challenges with Sawako Ohgi
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Sawako Ogi is the General Manager in the Strategic Legal Unit at JERA Co. From living overseas in a variety of countries as a child to managing a team remotely from the UK, Sawako's story is one of resilience, leadership, and determination. Join us as we delve into Sawako's in-house career path, her advice for in-house counsels, and her passion for balancing work and personal life.

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Creating fairness in the legal landscape of an organisation: Insights from Kenji Tagaya
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Creating fairness in the legal landscape of an organisation: Insights from Kenji Tagaya
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Kenji Tagaya joins Lawyer on Air as a very welcome male guest, fan of the show and ally of women working in the law in Japan. Kenji is General Counsel at Jera and shares his own lived experience of being a minority and how he uses that experience to help empower others. In addition to his career, Kenji is very active in volunteer activities and we hear about how he asks if he can join in and help and in doing this he has been able to use his skills for good outside of the office too.

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The journey of Akiko Kikuchi: From private practice to leading an award-winning legal team
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The journey of Akiko Kikuchi: From private practice to leading an award-winning legal team
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Akiko Kikuchi is a skilled general counsel with over two decades of experience in the legal industry. In this episode, we delve into the challenges of creating a career at a time when it was unusual to hire university graduate women in Japan. Akiko shares the benefits of building a strong team and how to get through the career challenges that might crop up for a General Counsel. Get ready to be inspired and informed in this episode of Lawyer on Air.

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The power of listening: Insights from Sayaka Ohashi, Lawyer and Advocate
Parent, lawpreneur
The power of listening: Insights from Sayaka Ohashi, Lawyer and Advocate
Parent, lawpreneur

Sayaka Ohashi, a legal counsel specialising in employment law, shares how her experience of raising three children and listening to what they have to say, has greatly improved her practice in employment law. She also encourages male lawyers to embrace child-rearing as it can make them better professionals. Her reasons are a little different from what you might be thinking (you will need to listen in!) Sayaka has had a varied career with big law firms and now running her own practice also makes time for new hobbies and even a side business!

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Parent, lawpreneur
Embracing career challenges and enjoying the journey with Aya Saito
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Embracing career challenges and enjoying the journey with Aya Saito
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In this episode, Aya Saito shares her journey from a kind of identity crisis to finding her style and authentic self in a unique role. Her career challenges became accomplishments that she even enjoyed! I’ve not heard of any guest so far in six seasons refer to their challenges in this way. Through the power of conversation, Aya uncovers these gems even though she didn’t know they were there! Join us for another fabulous episode from one of our own women in law in Japan.

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Self branding through kindness and thoughtfulness for your successful career in law with Akiyo Inoko Hewett
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Self branding through kindness and thoughtfulness for your successful career in law with Akiyo Inoko Hewett
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You are going to love this episode featuring one of the biggest fans of Lawyer on Air and a successful lawyer in her own right, Akiyo Inoko Hewett. Akiyo got my attention with her thoughtful and insightful post on LinkedIn; little did I know that she was a big LOA fan! In addition to being an avid listener, she has forged a career for herself as a bilingual international lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are wondering about different places to start a law career, this episode is packed with great examples of how Akiyo achieved this.

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Grab opportunities in your legal career or create them yourself with Asako Ouchi
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Grab opportunities in your legal career or create them yourself with Asako Ouchi
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Asako Ouchi takes us on an amazing journey through her career so far - you will need to hold onto your seat for this one! Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Asako created opportunities for herself to get what she wanted from her career and she did not let her circumstances get in the way of at least asking. Often this approach turned into an opportunity, so I highly recommend listening to this particular career journey for anyone who is thinking that what they want might not be possible because of a circumstance.

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Jayne Nakata
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