Wide Ranging Legal Advice For All
Published: September 30, 2022
Unlike some countries around the world, most people in Japan have little contact with the law in their daily lives. However, since there are many unavoidable situations in life where legal advice may be necessary, preparation is always of the essence, which is why we recently dropped in on Ōkoshi Law Office near Toyocho station.
Ōkoshi Law Office is located just 3 minutes’ walk from Toyocho station in a large, easy to find office building.
While the building’s exterior may be somewhat bland, the lift to the 4th floor which holds the Ōkoshi Law Office opened onto a dark wood panelled area with a metal directory board. Visitors call through to the office they require, which we did and in a jiffy Mr. Ōkoshi appeared.
Born and raised in Koto-ku, notary public Mr. Ōkoshi has wide experience and knowledge in a variety of fields such as inheritance, preparing wills, estate planning, gaining licences, permissions, and authorisations, real estate management and enterprise support. “I was born here and grew up in the ward, so I’d like to be of use to Koto-ku residents,” he explained of the decision to open his office in his home area.
It’s not just Mr. Ōkoshi one consults with though. As he explained, “I’m connected to a network that includes lawyers, tax accountants, judicial clerks, notaries, real estate appraisers and other professionally qualified experts who can offer support to clients. This system reduces costs and saves the client’s time, too.” In the interests of transparency the Ōkoshi Law Office posts a table of charges on its website.
Mr. Ōkoshi’s business card is one of the fullest we’ve ever seen, with the sheer number of areas covered highly impressive. Japanese legal procedures can be byzantine, baffling, and time-consuming in the extreme for Japanese, let alone non-Japanese residents. Contracts, permissions and applications, arranging loans, starting a business, buying and selling land or property, establishing an NPO, getting divorced, opening a bar, and the like involve fabulously complicated procedures that need professional advice. He can even advise on the latest laws regarding drone use in Japan!
Ōkoshi Law Office also offers its services to non-Japanese residents with visa concerns. Visa applications, naturalisation procedures, international marriage and residence status questions are all dealt with by Mr. Ōkoshi and his network. No matter how knotty the problem, expert help is just a phone call away!
Mr. Ōkoshi’s business card is one of the fullest we’ve ever seen, with the sheer number of areas covered highly impressive. Japanese legal procedures can be byzantine, baffling and time-consuming in the extreme for Japanese, let alone non-Japanese residents. Contracts, permissions and applications, arranging loans, starting a business, buying and selling land or property, establishing an NPO, getting divorced, opening a bar and the like involve fabulously complicated procedures that need professional advice. He can even advise on the latest laws regarding drone use in Japan!
As Mr. Ōkoshi said, “I want people to be able to consult about whether they actually need to consult legal specialists, in a relaxed way, without hesitation.” As a Koto-ku native, Mr. Ōkoshi has hitherto offered a 10% discount on fees to residents or those who work in the ward; now, those with a Kotomise coupon can enjoy a remarkable 30% reduction. There’s a great incentive to make that first call today!
Story and photos by Stephen Spencer
