Service 1 — Contract Drafting & Review
Know exactly what you are agreeing to
Commercial agreements are worth reading before they are signed. This service provides a clear account of what a contract commits you to — and where the terms depart from what you might reasonably expect.
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A contract you can proceed with in confidence
Every agreement reviewed here is returned with two things: the legal analysis, and a plain-language summary of what is actually being agreed. Obligations, deadlines, liability exposure, termination rights — each is noted in terms that do not require a legal background to follow.
Where clauses depart from ordinary commercial practice, those are flagged directly, with an explanation of why it matters and what a more balanced position might look like. The aim is to leave you better positioned, whether you proceed with the agreement as drafted, request changes, or decide not to sign at all.
The common situation
Contracts that arrive with a deadline attached
Most people receive contracts in a hurry. A supplier sends terms and expects a reply within the week. A landlord presents a lease at the point of signing. A new business partner circulates a draft and assumes the arrangement is settled.
The pressure to move quickly is real, and so is the discomfort of reading dense legal text in a second language — or in your own language, but about a subject you have not encountered before. The result is often that agreements are signed with a broad sense of what they cover but without a clear grasp of what they require.
This becomes significant later: when a dispute arises, when circumstances change, or when one party's understanding of the agreement turns out to be different from the other's. At that point, the contract becomes the only record of what was agreed.
How this helps
Review that covers both law and plain sense
This service covers supply, service, distribution, confidentiality and lease agreements — the categories of commercial document that businesses and individuals encounter most often in Japan.
A review considers the whole document: what each clause does, how the clauses interact, what the agreement does not address but perhaps should, and where the balance of risk sits between the parties. That analysis is then set out in writing alongside a summary in plain terms.
Where drafting is required rather than review — preparing a contract from instructions rather than examining one already written — the same approach applies in reverse: the agreement is drafted to reflect what the parties intend, and delivered with the same written summary.
Working together
What the process looks like
From the point you send the document to the point you have what you need — a straightforward sequence.
Send the document
Share the contract by email along with a brief note about the situation — who the other party is, what the arrangement is for, and any specific concerns you already have.
Scope confirmed
The scope of the review, the fee and the expected return date are confirmed by email before work begins. No surprises.
Review returned
Within five working days, you receive the written review and the plain summary. Drafting work takes longer and the timeline is agreed in advance.
One revision round
After you have read the review, one round of comments is included. Questions arising directly from the work can be directed by email at no additional charge.
The investment
Transparent, fixed pricing
Contract Drafting & Review
Written review of the complete document with clause-by-clause analysis
Plain-language summary of material terms and obligations
Identification of clauses departing from standard commercial practice
One round of revisions or follow-up after client comments
Returned within five working days for standard reviews
Drafting from instructions is priced on scope. The fee is confirmed before work begins.
How progress is measured
A methodology built around clarity
Structured analysis
Every clause is read in the context of the whole agreement. Dependencies, cross-references and gaps are noted, not only individual provisions read in isolation.
Benchmark comparison
Terms are assessed against what comparable agreements in this jurisdiction typically provide. Where a clause is unusual or one-sided, that is noted explicitly.
Written record
The output is always in writing. You have a permanent record of what the review found, which can be referred to if questions arise later.
Review turnaround is five working days for most standard commercial agreements. Where a document is unusually long or technically complex, an adjusted timeline will be discussed and confirmed before work starts.
Confidence and commitment
Scope confirmed before work begins
The fee, the scope and the return date are set out in writing before any review work takes place. If the matter turns out to fall outside the agreed scope, that is raised before the fee is charged.
If you are not certain whether your document falls within the types of agreement handled here, a brief email description is all that is needed. There is no charge for that initial exchange, and you are not committed to anything by asking.
An initial consultation is also available at ¥14,000 if you would prefer to discuss the contract in person or by video before deciding whether to proceed with a full review.
About the Initial Consultation →Next steps
How to get started
Contact us by email or through the form on the main page with a brief description of the document you need reviewed or drafted, and a note about any time constraints. A response follows within two working days, setting out the scope, the fee and the timeline.
Step one
Send a brief description of the document and your situation — by email or via the contact form.
Step two
Receive a written confirmation of scope, fee and return date. Share the document once that is agreed.
Step three
Receive the review and plain summary within the agreed timeline. One round of comments included.
Get in touch
Send the contract for review
If there is a document you would like reviewed, or if you need an agreement drafted for an arrangement you are putting in place, describe the situation briefly and the process will begin from there.
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