Junko Suetomi

Junko Suetomi is a partner in Baker McKenzie Tokyo office and handles the firm's international trade and dispute resolution practice. Suetomi focuses her practice on commercial and trade laws and regulations. WTO dispute settlement, civil and criminal litigation, antitrust law, bankruptcy law and general corporate law. She has extensive experience advising clients on issues involving trade remedy matters such as anti-dumping and countervailing duties, import restrictions, customs matters, export control and sanctions, tariff treatment and FTA/EPA applications, public procurements, among others.

Prior to joining the Firm, she worked in the WTO Dispute Settlement Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Economic Bureau. She has also served as a court-appointed defense attorney in many criminal cases. She has authored and co-authors numerous publications related to her practice.

Junko is recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers Global and Chambers Asia Pacific, Asia Business Law Journal, Who's Who Legal, WorldECR, Best Lawyers, and other legal directories. She was the Chair and now is vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Tokyo Bar Association. She is a part-time lecturer at Waseda University and delivers lectures at the National Tax College. She is a member of the Japan Association of International Economic Law.

She was a legal advisor to the Ministry of Finance Japan's Office of Trade Remedy Affairs, Tariff Policy and Legal Division, Customs and Tariff Bureau from 2016 to 2019. She has served as an expert member of the Ministry's Council on Customs, Tariff, Foreign Exchange and Other Transactions since 13 March 2019. She has been appointed Bar Examiner by the Minister of Justice since November 2020. She was also appointed at an expert member of the Council on Finance of the Financial Services Agency.

She also holds a Certificate in Business Analytics from the Harvard Business Analytics Program (March 2021).

Practice Focus

Junko focuses her practice on commercial and trade laws and regulations, WTO dispute settlement, civil and criminal litigation, antitrust law, bankruptcy law and general corporate law. She has extensive experience advising clients on issues involving trade remedy matters such as anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and import restrictions. She also advises on customs matters, classification and valuation issues, export control and sanctions, tariff treatment, FTA/EPA applications, public procurement, and handles antitrust compliance programs for clients.

Representative Legal Matters

- Advised financial institutions related with sanctions against Russia Federation (2022)

- Advised IT companies or manufacturing companies related with sanctions against Russian Federation (2022)

- Provided updates on Russia-Ukraine related sanctions measures (2022)

- Provided analysis and advice to a governmental organization on legal issues on offshore wind power generation (2022)

- Assisted a medical equipment manufacturer with negotiation with local government regarding public procurement process violation under WTO Public Procurement Agreement and related regulations (2022)

- Representing a Japanese company in the voluntary disclosure process under the export control regulations of the United States (2022)

- Advised a major bank with respect to sanctions imposed on Iran.

- Advised machinery manufacturers and a financial firm with respect to sanctions imposed on Iran.

- Advised on the effect of the sanctions imposed on Russia on energy-related projects.

- Assisted companies in responding to anti-dumping investigations.

- Assisted importers with customs classifications for auto parts.

- Assisted importers with customs classifications for medical products.

- Assisted a company in challenging an advance ruling on dairy product classifications.

- Advised a client on export licenses under CITES.

- Provided updates on export control regulations in various jurisdictions.

- Advised a client on customs valuations for auto parts.

- Advising clients with WTO dispute settlement matters

Professional Associations and Memberships

- Tokyo Bar Association - Member

- New York State Bar Association - Member

- Japan Association of International Economic Law - Member

Admissions

- New York~United States (2006)

- Japan (2000)

Education

- Cornell Law School (LLM)

- New York University School of Law (LLM)

- Legal Research & Training Institute of Supreme Court of Japan

- Tokyo University (LLB)

- Kyushu University, Japan (LLB)

Languages

- English

- Japanese

Publications

-- Author, "Sanctions against Myanmar and Business Activities", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 11 June, 2021

- Co-Author, Global Trends on Commercial Dispute Resolutions in the New Era (2) "Trend Under the Biden Administration of the Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Export", JCA Journal, June 2021, Vol. 68 No. 6, 10 June 2021

- Author, "The Function of Dispute Settlement Systems under Bilateral or Regional Agreements to Complement the WTO's Dispute Settlement System and the Reform of the Dispute Settlement System—Focusing on Disputes Related to Environmental Matters, Including Renewable Energy—", 'Public Policy Review Vol. 16, No. 5 "Diverse Perspectives on the Conventional Regimes for Free Trade in the Current International Community"', POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Ministry of Finance Japan, August 2020

- Author, "Tactics of the United States and China over Hong Kong - US The Hong Kong Autonomy Act and National Security Law of the People's Republic of China-", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 25 January, 2021

- Author, "In the midst of separation and integration - US reinforcement of restrictions against Huawei and its effects of Semiconductors Industry-", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 9 October, 2020

- Author, "New Normal - on or after COVID-19", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 18 June 2020

- Author, "Export Control regulations - its History and Issues -", ' Issues of Special Civil Laws Vol. 6', Kansai Law & Patent Office, Festschrift for 55th Anniversary of the Foundation, March 11, 2020, printed by Daiichi Hoki K.K.

- Author, "Investment Restriction in the Amendment of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 13 March 2020

- Contributing Expert, "World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2020", World Justice Project. 11 March 2020

- Author, "Crisis of WTO Dispute Settlement System - Urgent Need of Reform - " Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 27 January 2020

- Author, "The Function of Dispute Settlement Systems under Bilateral or Regional Agreements to Complement the WTO's Dispute Settlement System and the Reform of the Dispute Settlement System—Focusing on Disputes Related to Environmental Matters, Including Renewable Energy—", 'Financial Review' Vol. 140, 'Various Aspects of Treaty System of Free Trade in Current International Society', POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Ministry of Finance Japan, November 2019

- Author, "US OFAC Sanctions Program applied in parallel with Export and Re-export regulations" , 'The Finance', Seminar-Info K.K., September, 2019

- Author, "Overseas subsidiaries' legal risk management practice", Chapter 7 Trade investment risk, Chuokeizai-Sha Holdings, Inc., September 15, 2019

- Author, "Additional Export Control Regulations against the Republic of Korea - Export Control Regulations and Trade Disputes - " Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 8 August 2019 Author, "ECRA (Export Control Reform Act) and Restriction on Huawei," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 3 July 2019

- Author, "Enforcement of the Japan-EU EPA and the Brexit Outlook," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 3 March 2019

- Commentator, "Bowing out as Japan tires of UK's waiting game," The Times, 25 February 2019

- Author, "Fight for the Technical Superiority" -- the U.S. introduction of new investment restriction act, "FIRRMA," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 25 December 2018

- Author, "Toward an Era where Thoughtfulness for Environment and Society Is Valued -- Rising Concerns with ESG Investments and SDGs Management," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 12 November 2018

- Author, "CPTPP Product Specific Rules of Origin: Identifying Opportunities for your Business," Trade Crossroads, Baker & McKenzie, October 19, 2018

Presentations

- Lecturer, "Compliance of AML/CFT and Anti Financial Crime Practice after the FATF 4th Mutual Evaluation Report on Japan and Latest Updates in Japan and overseas - Best Practice and Next Steps -, Seminar Info, 17 May 2022

- Guest speaker, "Free Trade and National Security Issues-", Waseda University seminar, Waseda University, 26 April 2022

- Lecturer, "AML/CFT Case Study of Recent Practice", "AML Conference 2022 - Increasing regulations risk and How to dealing with them-" GoodWay Inc., 18 February, 2022

- Lecturer, "Money Laundering," National Tax College, 20 December 2021

- Lecturer, "U.S.-China Trade Friction - Recent Trend of Regulations in Trade and Strategy in Practice -" Engineering Advancement Association of Japan, 9 July 2021

- Guest speaker, "Issues and Reform of International Dispute Settlement System - Renewable Energy Cases-"," Waseda University seminar, Waseda University, 25 May 2021

- Guest speaker, "Free Trade and National Security Issues-"," Waseda University seminar, Waseda University, 7 July 2020

- Speaker, "Secondary Sanctions under US Export Control Regulations and the Latest Updates", ZENMONDO, January 2020

- Guest Panelist, "Implementing an Effective Sanctions Compliance Program for Trade Finance", HIS Markit Round Table Event, HIS Markit, 14 February, 2020

- Lecturer, "Latest Updates and Practice of Financial Institutions in Japan, U.S. and U.K. regarding Compliance of AML/CFT and Anti Financial Crime - Best Practice and Next Steps -, Seminar Info, 22 January 2020

- Lecturer, "Money Laundering," National Tax College, 18 December 2019

Speaker, "Supplement and Reform of the function of WTO Dispute Settlement System", International Economic Dispute Settlement Study Seminar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9 October 2019

- Guest speaker, "Issues and Reform of International Dispute Settlement System - Renewable Energy Cases-"," Waseda University seminar, Waseda University, 28 May 2019

- Moderator, "US and EU Sanctions: Latest Developments? Plus Restrictions on Foreign Direct Investments, US Export Control Reform Act - Emerging & Foundational Technologies," JETRO, 15 January 2019

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