We would like to extend our New Year’s greetings for 2026. We are deeply grateful for the continued trust and support you have shown to Araki International IP&Law (AIL).
This year marks AIL’s fifth anniversary since its founding. It is also a time of significant transformation in the legal arena of artificial intelligence and intellectual property.
IP × Cross-Border × AI: Our Focus Areas for 2026
Since our establishment, AIL has pursued the vision of supporting Japanese companies and individuals to succeed on the global stage. Centered on intellectual property and technology, we have advised on cross-border transactions, the design of collaboration and commercialization schemes, and the development of internal governance frameworks relating to AI.
In 2025, our collaboration with corporate clients entered a new phase, with increasing involvement in high value-added matters such as governance advisory and the structuring of innovative legal and business schemes. Through these engagements, we experienced a deepening of trust within the market. In parallel, through our AI practice, we worked extensively on internal rules for corporate AI use, as well as risk management for the launch of AI-enabled services.
Building on the foundation we have developed since our inception; the intellectual property and technology fields continue to represent areas of steady and sustainable growth. In 2026, we will further refine AIL’s distinctive expertise, with a continued focus on IP × cross-border and IP × collaboration matters.
Strengthening Investment in AI Risk Management
We will expand our investment in the AI risk management practice this year in order to support clients more closely in navigating uncertain and complex management decisions related to AI adoption. As the EU AI Act enters full-scale application, many Japanese companies will be required to take concrete compliance measures. Our firm’s collaboration with external advisors and overseas partners will strengthen our ability to provide timely and practical support to Japanese companies responding to these developments.
Strengthening Our Organizational Foundation Based on AIL’s Core Values
In 2025, we intentionally moderated the pace of our growth in order to clarify the values that matter most to AIL and to focus on building a solid organizational foundation. Through a series of challenging management decisions—sometimes involving difficult trade-offs—we defined the following core values at AIL:
AIL Core Values
・Integrity: Acting with honesty, transparency, and accountability to build long-term trust
・Ethics: Exercising conscience and courage to pursue what is truly in the best interests of our clients
・Professionalism: Delivering precise, high-quality advice grounded in deep expertise and professional pride
・Collaboration: Respecting one another, sharing knowledge, and embracing feedback
・Partnership: Standing alongside our clients and supporting the achievement of their business objectives through legal services
・Innovation & Growth: Creating new value, continuously learning, and passing our philosophy on to the next generation
The process of clarifying our organizational values was no easy task. However, as a result, AIL has been reconstituted as a more focused and value-driven organization, enabling us to evolve further and to establish a durable identity as a firm that will continue to thrive in the market. With these core values in mind, we have also worked to move beyond a structure overly dependent on the founder by advancing operational standardization, including the use of AI.
In 2026, we will continue to steadily strengthen our organizational foundation. Through enhanced collaboration among our team members and external partners, as well as the effective use of AI, we will work to ensure that our clients consistently receive stable, team-based services. Anchored in AIL’s vision and values, we will further develop mechanisms to share and carry forward “AIL Quality” as an organization.
Toward Our Fifth Anniversary
2026 marks an important milestone as AIL celebrates its fifth anniversary.
Building on the lessons learned throughout our journey and guided by our vision of supporting Japanese companies and individuals to shine on the global stage, we will continue to work as one team to deliver proactive, value-driven legal services that actively advance our clients’ businesses.
We sincerely appreciate your continued guidance and support in the year ahead.
January 6, 2025
Araki International IP&Law
Founder and Managing Partner
Akiko Araki, Attorney-at-Law, Japan and California State Bar
