Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired the Fair Trade Commission of Japan’s secretary general, Akinori Uesugi, as a senior consultant in its Tokyo office. Uesugi, who had been with the Commission since 1970, joined the magic circle firm’s antitrust, competition and trade group in early July.

As secretary general, he played a key role in making amendments to Japan’s competition regime that have led to stricter antitrust enforcement.