Tetsushi Watanabe

Attorney admitted in Japan, US lawyer Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association

Japanese, English

Graduated from Waseda University in 2008, completed the Keio Law School in 2010 and passed the Bar Examination, and registered as a lawyer in 2011 (member of the Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association). Worked mainly on domestic and cross-border finance cases at the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Atsumi & Sakai Law Office and Foreign Law Office; studied at the University of Pennsylvania Law School (LL.M) in 2019 and passed the NY State Bar Exam in 2021. Seconded to a financial institution in London and became a partner upon returning in 2022; joined NOT A HOTEL Ltd in March 2023. In April 2025, he joined the law firm ZeLo. His main areas of practice are finance, funds, real estate and venture/start-up law. He specialises in complex and difficult legal work and contributes to increasing the value of the company beyond his role at NOT A HOTEL by building the business, developing the organisation and improving the operational efficiency of the legal department.

Practice Areas

Education

2020: University of Pennsylvania LLM

2010: Keio University Law School

2008: Waseda University Faculty of Law

Experience

2025: Joined ZeLo

2023: Joined NOT A HOTEL Inc.

2021: Passed the NY State Bar Examination

2017: Joined Atsumi&Sakai

2014: Joined Japan Bank for International Cooperation

2011: Joined Law Firm at Tokyo

2011: Registered with Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association

2010: Passed Japan Bar Exam

Representative Works

Domestic and cross-border project finance, syndicated loans
Domestic and cross-border investment projects and joint ventures in operating companies, infrastructure, real estate, etc.
Ship and aircraft finance
Mobility business scheme development
Securitisation, fund formation and management of real estate, ships, etc.
Management, system development and regulatory support for Type II money market companies.
Formation, development and operation of DAOs, and dealing with the authorities.
NFT and crypto-asset product structuring