Legal & Compliance Manager - Japan
On-siteTokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Job Summary
Lead legal and compliance activities for the establishment of new entities, licensing applications, and business expansion initiatives in Japan. Serve as the primary advisor on payments, merchant acquiring, and fintech matters while developing robust compliance frameworks aligned with local and global regulatory expectations. Act as the key liaison with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), managing regulatory submissions, inquiries, examinations, and audits. Monitor regulatory changes, draft and negotiate commercial agreements, and oversee risk assessments covering AML/CFT, sanctions, data privacy, and third-party risk. Partner with business, finance, HR, and technology teams to manage legal risks and deliver compliance training. Requires 8–12 years of experience in payments or fintech, strong knowledge of Japanese regulatory frameworks, and business-fluent Japanese and English.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Law, Business, Finance, Compliance, or a related discipline
- legal qualification
- 8–12 years of legal and/or compliance experience within the payments, fintech, merchant acquiring, banking, or financial services industry
- Strong knowledge of Japanese regulatory frameworks, including payments regulations, AML/CFT requirements, data privacy, consumer protection, and corporate governance
- Demonstrated ability to establish and manage legal, compliance, risk management, and governance frameworks within a regulated environment
- Business-fluent Japanese and English communication skills, with the ability to effectively manage regulators, external counsel, and senior stakeholders in a multinational organization
Desired Qualifications
- experience supporting the launch or expansion of a payments, fintech, financial services, or regulated financial institution in Japan, including interactions with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), local regulators, and external legal advisors
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