Takashi Yuasa
Encyclopedia
Takashi Yuasa is a Japan
ese lawyer
(admitted in Washington D.C., but not in Japan) and television
personality. He belongs to the Horipro
(Hori Productions) talent agency.
, in Tokyo, and graduated from the Department of Law at the University of Tokyo
in 1979. He claims to have graduated with "the top results ever achieved" in his department. He received an LL.M. from UCLA Law School in 1984.
During the sale of the Rockefeller Center
in New York City
, he acted as a lawyer for the Rockefeller family
(however, he was not the head of the legal team). As a result of his efforts, he says, Mitsubishi Estate paid approximately 1.5 times the amount it planned for the land, and he received a large sum in return (the precise amount was not revealed).
However, many raise doubts about these claimed achievements. A large team of lawyers and accountants was formed to handle this contract, which was concluded in 1985. (The actual sale occurred in 1990.) However, Yuasa attained his credentials as a New York lawyer in 1984 (as can be seen from the records listing New York lawyers), just one year before this massive contact was concluded. As he was not qualified as a lawyer in Japan, he was a novice lawyer fresh out of law school. This raises the question of how much authority one rookie
29-year-old lawyer was given.
He has stated that Mitsubishi's purchase of the Rockfeller Center for such a large amount of money, convinced of the myth that land prices would rise ever higher, contributed to the turning point that was the bursting of Japan's economic bubble
, and that the eventual stock price crash proved that there was excessive asset inflation in the economy.
In Wall Street
, he has a large amount of work with companies related to the Texas oil market, such as the Rockefeller Group and ExxonMobil
, which lean very much to the conservative side, and is therefore at a distance from the Morgan Group, which leans towards the Democratic Party
.
In recent years he has taken an interest in the acquisition of oil field
s, but due to the above, he has few contacts related to the Dubai
crude oil market and the North Sea
blend market, where supply volumes are stabilizing, and so has met with difficulties.
From the late 1990s onwards, he has grown to be a more important figure due to the prevalence of hedge fund
s which have taken root in the oil market. Dealing with hedge funds, an area where he has a great deal of influence, is also an important part of his work with oil markets, but the facts above again present an obstacle to him here.
Until recent years, his work was to provide defences against commentators who saw the futures instruments of hedge funds as the cause of increases in oil prices. However, there is information indicating that, in the face of the confusion starting to occur in the Dubai crude oil market, which affects Japan most, he has received requests to turn his attention away from his main area, the Texas oil market, towards trends in Asia and the Middle East, areas in which he has been weaker, and deal in financial products and investment consulting. He is currently looking into a strategy for dealing with this field, has held private discussions with the financial commentator and Meiji University
professor Masaru Takagi, and has sometimes written his own commentary on the outlook in the field in financial magazines.
In the debate on the Livedoor
takeovers, he took a stance criticizing the techniques of Lehman Brothers
, a company who he had dealings with before, starting when he moved his Asian branch office to Hong Kong
and then back to Tokyo, and he spoke on the illegality of the practice of after-hours trading
by Livedoor. While the general American view was that this was exploiting a loophole in the law, he took the stance that it was illegal.
He also severely criticized the poison pill
approach to hostile buyouts, as used by Fuji Television
Network and Nippon Broadcasting System
when they exchanged rights to buy new stock. He stated the opinion that in the end, both of them had obtained little, either in quantity or quality, and that their actions were the epitome of an American-style money game.
In other fields, he has had an influence on the competitions to renovate the Guggenheim Museum
and Art Institute of Chicago
.
His hobbies include dance
and opera
, and is often asked to sing. He participates in opera together with the pianist Ayako Uehara
, the Art critic Yuki Yamashita (Tokyo Research Institute for Cultural Properties
) and the actress Misa Uehara
.
When he appeared on Nippon Television
's Dancing Sanma Palace, his stories were so over-the-top that Sabu Kawahara, a guest appearing on the same day, became violently angry with him.
1. 9 Fordham Int'l L. J. 191 (1985–1986)
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
(admitted in Washington D.C., but not in Japan) and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality. He belongs to the Horipro
Horipro
is a large Japanese talent agency. It was founded in 1963 as Hori Productions and changed to its present name in 1990.In 1989, Horipro purchased the publishing assets of famed rock band, KISS. Next, the company moved on to invest in more catalogs. A year later, Horipro Entertainment Group opened...
(Hori Productions) talent agency.
Profile
He attended Shirogane Elementary School, Azabu High SchoolAzabu High School
, referred to as "Azabu," is a private preparatory day school in Japan. It teaches boys between seventh and twelves grades. The campus of Azabu is located in the Azabu district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
, in Tokyo, and graduated from the Department of Law at the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
in 1979. He claims to have graduated with "the top results ever achieved" in his department. He received an LL.M. from UCLA Law School in 1984.
During the sale of the Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he acted as a lawyer for the Rockefeller family
Rockefeller family
The Rockefeller family , the Cleveland family of John D. Rockefeller and his brother William Rockefeller , is an American industrial, banking, and political family of German origin that made one of the world's largest private fortunes in the oil business during the late 19th and early 20th...
(however, he was not the head of the legal team). As a result of his efforts, he says, Mitsubishi Estate paid approximately 1.5 times the amount it planned for the land, and he received a large sum in return (the precise amount was not revealed).
However, many raise doubts about these claimed achievements. A large team of lawyers and accountants was formed to handle this contract, which was concluded in 1985. (The actual sale occurred in 1990.) However, Yuasa attained his credentials as a New York lawyer in 1984 (as can be seen from the records listing New York lawyers), just one year before this massive contact was concluded. As he was not qualified as a lawyer in Japan, he was a novice lawyer fresh out of law school. This raises the question of how much authority one rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
29-year-old lawyer was given.
He has stated that Mitsubishi's purchase of the Rockfeller Center for such a large amount of money, convinced of the myth that land prices would rise ever higher, contributed to the turning point that was the bursting of Japan's economic bubble
Economic bubble
An economic bubble is "trade in high volumes at prices that are considerably at variance with intrinsic values"...
, and that the eventual stock price crash proved that there was excessive asset inflation in the economy.
In Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, he has a large amount of work with companies related to the Texas oil market, such as the Rockefeller Group and ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
, which lean very much to the conservative side, and is therefore at a distance from the Morgan Group, which leans towards the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
In recent years he has taken an interest in the acquisition of oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s, but due to the above, he has few contacts related to the Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
crude oil market and the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
blend market, where supply volumes are stabilizing, and so has met with difficulties.
From the late 1990s onwards, he has grown to be a more important figure due to the prevalence of hedge fund
Hedge fund
A hedge fund is a private pool of capital actively managed by an investment adviser. Hedge funds are only open for investment to a limited number of accredited or qualified investors who meet criteria set by regulators. These investors can be institutions, such as pension funds, university...
s which have taken root in the oil market. Dealing with hedge funds, an area where he has a great deal of influence, is also an important part of his work with oil markets, but the facts above again present an obstacle to him here.
Until recent years, his work was to provide defences against commentators who saw the futures instruments of hedge funds as the cause of increases in oil prices. However, there is information indicating that, in the face of the confusion starting to occur in the Dubai crude oil market, which affects Japan most, he has received requests to turn his attention away from his main area, the Texas oil market, towards trends in Asia and the Middle East, areas in which he has been weaker, and deal in financial products and investment consulting. He is currently looking into a strategy for dealing with this field, has held private discussions with the financial commentator and Meiji University
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
professor Masaru Takagi, and has sometimes written his own commentary on the outlook in the field in financial magazines.
In the debate on the Livedoor
Livedoor
is an Internet service provider based in Tokyo, Japan, that runs a web portal and numerous other businesses. The company was founded and led in its first 10 years by Takafumi Horie, known as "Horiemon" in Japan...
takeovers, he took a stance criticizing the techniques of Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
, a company who he had dealings with before, starting when he moved his Asian branch office to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and then back to Tokyo, and he spoke on the illegality of the practice of after-hours trading
Extended hours trading
After-hours trading is stock trading that occurs after the traditional trading hours of the major exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market. Since 1985, the regular trading hours in America have been from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m...
by Livedoor. While the general American view was that this was exploiting a loophole in the law, he took the stance that it was illegal.
He also severely criticized the poison pill
Poison pill
A shareholder rights plan, colloquially known as a "poison pill", or simply "the pill" is a type of defensive tactic used by a corporation's board of directors against a takeover...
approach to hostile buyouts, as used by Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
Network and Nippon Broadcasting System
Nippon Broadcasting System
, or JOLF, is a Japanese radio station in Tokyo. Together with Nippon Cultural Broadcasting it is a flagship station of the National Radio Network...
when they exchanged rights to buy new stock. He stated the opinion that in the end, both of them had obtained little, either in quantity or quality, and that their actions were the epitome of an American-style money game.
In other fields, he has had an influence on the competitions to renovate the Guggenheim Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a well-known museum located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. It is the permanent home to a renowned collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art and also features special exhibitions...
and Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
.
His hobbies include dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, and is often asked to sing. He participates in opera together with the pianist Ayako Uehara
Ayako Uehara
is a classical pianist.She won 2nd prize in the 2000 Sydney International Piano Competition. In 2002 she became the first woman to win the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition....
, the Art critic Yuki Yamashita (Tokyo Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Tokyo Research Institute for Cultural Properties
One of the two research institutes in Japan that are comprised by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, an independent administrative institution created in 2001...
) and the actress Misa Uehara
Misa Uehara (actress, born 1983)
is a Japanese actress, born 21 December 1983 in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.She appeared in the movie Ju-on: The Grudge and live action TV series Nodame Cantabile .-Dramas:*Manatsu no Merry Christmas...
.
Truth or nonsense?
Every time he appears on television, he says something along the following lines. Whether any of these statements are true is unclear.- He had a tough time being chased by beautiful women on the West Coast.
- The world's most instantly charismatic men are Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
, Sanma AkashiyaSanma Akashiyais a Japanese TV comedian and actor simply known as Sanma. His real name is . His talent agency is Yoshimoto Corporation.Together with Beat Takeshi and Tamori, Sanma is said to be one of the "Big Three" tarento of Japan. Sanma's nickname is . He is known for his ability to endlessly carry a...
and yours truly, Takashi Yuasa. - His version of the American Dream is firstly, to become the American president, secondly to get to the top of an America megabankBankA bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
, and thirdly to be Takashi Yuasa. - He has never taken a job for less than 70 billion yen.
When he appeared on Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
's Dancing Sanma Palace, his stories were so over-the-top that Sabu Kawahara, a guest appearing on the same day, became violently angry with him.
Related information
- He came to make media appearances through his relationship with HoriproHoriprois a large Japanese talent agency. It was founded in 1963 as Hori Productions and changed to its present name in 1990.In 1989, Horipro purchased the publishing assets of famed rock band, KISS. Next, the company moved on to invest in more catalogs. A year later, Horipro Entertainment Group opened...
. He has had a financial consulting contract with the production company since the 90's, and has a close relationship with the CEO, Shingo Oda. He has also been friends with the CFO, Kazuki Hori (who is also COO), since they studied in America together. His humorous way of talking led to a plan for him to appear on television, and he then rode the so-called "lawyer boom," to where he is today. - The reason for his in-depth knowledge about foreign celebrities is that the consultant work carried out for these celebrities when they come to Japan is carried out at the agency to which he used to belong. The person currently responsible for the PR at this agency is Florent Dabadie, and Yuasa has a teacher-apprentice relationship with Yoon Son-haYoon Son-haYoon Son-ha is a South Korean actress, singer and television personality . She is signed onto Sony Music Japan's SME Records division...
, who also belongs to the agency.
Regular television appearances
- Quiz! Hexagon Konya wa quiz parade Quiz! Hexagon II (Quiz Hexagon! Tonight's a Quiz Parade! Quiz Hexagon II)
- Shimada kentei!! Kokuminteki senzai nōryoku test (The Shimada exam!! The National Potential Quotient Test)
- World records
- Cream StewCream StewCream stew or kurimu shitu is a popular Yōshoku dish consisting of meat, usually chicken or pork, and mixed vegetables, onion, carrot, potato and cabbage, cooked in thick white roux. The vegetables are sauteed before the meat is added with some water. The surface fats are removed by degreasing and...
no tarirariraan (Cream Stew's Tallylallylaah) - Do night
- Ichiban! Express (First Express!)
- Tokoro-san no gakko de wa oshiete kurenai sonna tokoro! (Tokoro's That Thing They Don't Teach You in School)
Other specials and guest appearances
- Asa made nama terebi "Gekiron! Honto ni NO to ieru ka!? Nihon" (Live TV Till Morning) - "Fierce Debate! Can Japan really say No!?"
- Nōnai esute IQ sappli (Brain Makeover IQ Supplement)
- Odaiba Akashiya jō (Akashiya Castle, Odaiba)
- Waratte iitomoWaratte Iitomois a Japanese variety show aired every weekday on Fuji TV. The show is hosted by Tamori and has run since 1982. The show is produced in the Studio Alta building located in Shinjuku, Tokyo...
- All star kanshasai (All Star Thanksgiving Festival)
- Zen'in seikai atarimae quiz (The Quiz Everyone Ought To Get Right)
- TamoriTamoriis a Japanese celebrity. His real name is and the screenname Tamori is an anagram of his surname. He was born on 22 August 1945 in Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture....
no Japonica Logos (Tamori's Japonica Logos) - Sanma no Manma (Sanma and Manma)
- Gokigen yō (How Do You Do)
- Gachinko shichōritsu battle (All-Out Ratings Battle)
- CocoricoCocoricoCocorico may refer to:* The Brazilian TV program, Cocoricó* The French art magazine, Cocorico * The Puerto Rican soda drink, Coco Rico* A Japanese comedy act, Cocorico...
million kazoku (Cocorico's Family of a Million) - Sekai maru mie! Terebi tokusōbu (The World Uncovered! TV's Special Investigators)
- Takeshi/Itsumi no Heisei kyōiku iinkai (Takeshi and Itsumi's Board of Modern Education)
Books
- "Wall gai ban - sekai to nihon no yomikata - kongo jūnenkan naniga okiru ka" (Wall Street edition: Reading Japan and the world - What will happen in ten years' time?) - published by PHP Kenkyūjo
- "America ni ashita wa aru no ka" (Is there a tomorrow for America?) - published by PHP Kenkyūjo
- He has written many essays and commentaries for economics texts from the Nihon Keizai ShimbunNihon Keizai Shimbunis one of the largest media corporations in Japan. Nikkei specializes in publishing financial, business and industry news. Its main news publications include:* Nihon Keizai Shimbun , a leading economic newspaper....
and books related to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. - Computer Data Base Protection - The Impact of Japanese Legislative Developments on United States and Japanese Copyright Laws (in English)
1. 9 Fordham Int'l L. J. 191 (1985–1986)