Junko Suetomi

Practice Areas

Junko Suetomi is a partner in the Baker & McKenzie Tokyo office and handles the firm’s international trade and dispute resolution practice. Suetomi focuses her practice on commercial and trade laws and regulations, WTO dispute settlement, civil and criminal litigation, antitrust law, bankruptcy law and general corporate law. She has extensive experience advising clients on issues involving trade remedy matters including anti-dumping and countervailing duties, import restrictions, customs matters, export control and sanctions, tariff treatment and FTA/EPA applications, public procurements, among others.

Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Suetomi worked in the WTO Dispute Settlement Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has served as a court-appointed defence attorney in many criminal cases. Suetomi was the chair and now is vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Tokyo Bar Association. She delivers lectures at Waseda University and the National Tax College. She has served as an expert member of the Ministry of Finance’s Council on Customs, Tariff, Foreign Exchange and Other Transactions since March 2019. She has been appointed Bar Examiner by the Minister of Justice since November 2020. She has also been appointed Expert member of the Financial Council of the Financial Services Agency since October 2021. Certificate in Business Analytics, Harvard Business Analytics Program (March 2021).

Career

 Advised a major bank with respect to sanctions imposed on Iran.

 Advised machinery manufacturers and a financial firm with respect to sanctions imposed on Iran.

 Advised on the effect of the sanctions imposed on Russia on energy-related projects.

 Assisted companies in responding to anti-dumping investigations.

 Assisted importers with customs classifications for auto parts.

 Assisted importers with customs classifications for medical products.

 Assisted a company in challenging an advance ruling on dairy product classifications.

 Advised a client on export licenses under CITES.

 Provided updates on export control regulations in various jurisdictions.

 Advised a client on customs valuations for auto parts.

 Advised a client on regulations on the transportation of dangerous products.

 Advised trading companies with respect to sanctions imposed on Iran.

 Advised a client considering a project in Cuba with respect to sanctions imposed on Cuba.

 Advised on a WTO dispute resolution matter.

 Member of the delegation on the following dispute settlement cases (countries in parentheses represent the complainants):

 DS375, 376 and 377 – European Union and its member states – Tariff Treatment of Certain Information Technology Products (US, Japan, TPKM)

 DS322 – United States – Measures Relating to Zeroing and Sunset Revisions (Japan)

 DS336 – Japan – Countervailing Duties on Dynamic Random Access Memories from Korea (Korea)

 DS408, 409 – European Union and a member state: EU – Seizure of Generic Drugs in Transit (India, Brazil)

 DS397 – European Communities – Definitive Anti-Dumping Measures on Certain Iron or Steel Fasteners from China (China)

 DS383 – United States – Anti-Dumping Measures on Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags from Thailand (Thailand)

 DS382 – United States – Anti-Dumping Administrative Reviews and Other Measures Related to Imports of Certain Orange Juice from Brazil (Brazil)

 DS379 – United States – Definitive Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties on Certain Products from China (China)

 DS350 – United States – Continued Existence and Application of Zeroing Methodology (EU)

 DS344 – United States – Final Anti-Dumping Measures on Stainless Steel from Mexico (Mexico)

 DS294 – United States – Laws, Regulations and Methodology for Calculating Dumping Margins (Zeroing) (EU)

 Handled civil rehabilitation proceedings on behalf of Japanese companies.

 Handled corporate reorganization proceedings on behalf of a hotel company.

 Handled special liquidation proceedings on behalf of a toy company.

 Handled bankruptcy administration in bankruptcy on behalf of a construction company.

Professional Memberships

Professional associations and memberships

 Tokyo Bar Association - Member

 New York State Bar Association - Member

 Japan Association of International Economic Law - Member

Admissions

New York~United States (2006)

Japan (2000)

Publications

Publications

 Author, "Sanctions against Myanmar and Business Activities", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 11 June, 2021

 Co-Author, Global Trends on Commercial Dispute Resolutions in the New Era (2) "Trend Under the Biden Administration of the Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Export", JCA Journal, June 2021, Vol. 68 No. 6, June 2021

 Author, "The Function of Dispute Settlement Systems under Bilateral or Regional Agreements to Complement the WTO's Dispute Settlement System and the Reform of the Dispute Settlement System—Focusing on Disputes Related to Environmental Matters, Including Renewable Energy—", 'Public Policy Review Vol. 16, No. 5 "Diverse Perspectives on the Conventional Regimes for Free Trade in the Current International Community"', POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Ministry of Finance Japan, August 2020

 Author, "Tactics of the United States and China over Hong Kong - US The Hong Kong Autonomy Act and National Security Law of the People's Republic of China-", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 25 January, 2021

 Author, "In the midst of separation and integration - US reinforcement of restrictions against Huawei and its effects of Semiconductors Industry-", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 9 October, 2020

 Author, "New Normal - on or after COVID-19", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 18 June 2020

 Author, "Export Control regulations - its History and Issues -", ' Issues of Special Civil Laws Vol. 6', Kansai Law & Patent Office, Festschrift for 55th Anniversary of the Foundation, March 11, 2020, printed by Daiichi Hoki K.K.

 Author, "Investment Restriction in the Amendment of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act", Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 13 March 2020

 Contributing Expert, "World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2020", World Justice Project. 11 March 2020

 Author, "Crisis of WTO Dispute Settlement System - Urgent Need of Reform - " Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 27 January 2020

 Author, "The Function of Dispute Settlement Systems under Bilateral or Regional Agreements to Complement the WTO's Dispute Settlement System and the Reform of the Dispute Settlement System—Focusing on Disputes Related to Environmental Matters, Including Renewable Energy—", 'Financial Review' Vol. 140, 'Various Aspects of Treaty System of Free Trade in Current International Society', POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Ministry of Finance Japan, November 2019

 Author, "US OFAC Sanctions Program applied in parallel with Export and Re-export regulations" , 'The Finance', Seminar-Info K.K., September, 2019

 Author, "Overseas subsidiaries' legal risk management practice", Chapter 7 Trade investment risk, Chuokeizai-Sha Holdings, Inc., September 15, 2019

 Author, "Additional Export Control Regulations against the Republic of Korea - Export Control Regulations and Trade Disputes - " Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 8 August 2019

 Author, " ECRA (Export Control Reform Act) and Restriction on Huawei," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 3 July 2019

 Author, "Enforcement of the Japan-EU EPA and the Brexit Outlook," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 3 March 2019

 Commentator, "Bowing out as Japan tires of UK's waiting game," The Times, 25 February 2019

 Author, "Fight for the Technical Superiority - the US introduction of new investment restriction act, 'FIRRMA'," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 25 December 2018

 Author, "Toward an Era where Thoughtfulness for Environment and Society is Valued - Rising Concerns with ESG Investments and SDGs Management," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 12 November 2018

 Author, "CPTPP Product Specific Rules of Origin: Identifying Opportunities for your Business," Trade Crossroads, Baker & McKenzie, 19 October 2018

 Author, "Signing of Japan・EP EPA and New Competition," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 17 July 2018

 Participate in "Doing Business 2019" survey organized by the World Bank Group, 2018, Language: English

 Author, "Paradigm Shift happing in the midst of 'Trade War'," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., 22 May 2018

 Commentator, "Trump unites steel-exporting countries against the US," Nikkei Asian Review, 7 May 2018

 Commentator, "This morning's news," regarding US metal and aluminium tariff, Bloomberg, 16 April 2018

 Commentator, "Japan Could Retaliate Against Trump's Metal Tariffs," International Trade Daily, 16 April 2018

 Author, "Between data hegemony and regulation: prior to enforcement of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., March 2018

 Author, "TPP-11 reached a basic agreement, negotiations on the Japan-EU EPA finalized, "One Belt, One Road", and the next," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., December 2017

 Author, "Japan-EU EPA, Agreement in principle: What this means and next issues," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., August 2017

 Author, "The Trump administration's border adjustment tax plan: Compliant with international regimes?," Nikkei Research Global Marketing Campus, Nikkei Research Inc., April 2017

 Commentator, "Moving into Iran with 'ambition' and 'worry'," Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, 3 February 2016

 Author, "International Investment Arbitration Guidebook," Chuokeizai-Sha Holdings, Inc., January 2016

 Author, "Q&A FTA・EPA Handbook - Strategy for Customs Tariff Saving Scheme," Minjiho Kenkyu-kai, February 2013