Greenberg Traurig Maher (GTM) has re-opened in Japan with a trio of partners from White & Case and DLA Piper.

The US firm now has three offices in Asia and 37 worldwide, with the new Tokyo base operating under the banner of Greenberg Traurig Horitsu Jimusho.

Heading the Japan operation is corporate finance partner Koji Ishikawa from DLA Piper, while White & Case's Yuji Ogiwara, who specialises in disputes and employment, and Koichiro Ohasi, who is a corporate and finance lawyer, will be co-chairs of the practice.

All three are English speaking Japanese lawyers, who worked together at White & Case previously.

In a press release, the firm said now was a good time to be Japan in view of the global business community's growing interest in the country.

It also claimed Japanese clients were not currently well served by international law firms in Tokyo due to high fees and narrow practice areas.

GTM first entered Japan in 2005; marking its debut into Asia shortly after the legal market opened up to foreign outfits.

The firm also established a strategic alliance with Japanese law firm Hayabusa Kokusai Law Offices, and was looking to target corporate and commercial deals. It is understood to have closed the base and ended its alliance with Hayabusa less than three years later.

Last week, Norton Rose Fulbright said it too was ramping up in Japan – looking to join the rush of firms eyeing outbound deals with the hire of its first Japanese-speaking partner, US qualified Eiji Kobayashifrom from top-four local outfit Nishimura & Asahi.