Sayaka Matsui is General Counsel and Representative Executive Officer at Unilever Japan. Sayaka shares how she unlearned something that she thought was helping her to do better. When she did that amazing things happened and she reached new career heights as well as achieving personal goals too. If you are wondering if your career path is “on track” or you are struggling with self criticism, this episode is for you!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How reading a children's story-book version of Merchant of Venice at age 10 sparked Sayaka's interest in law

• Sayaka’s transition from private practice to corporate planning and eventually to General Counsel

• The transformative impact of spending two years in the United States

• How Sayaka unlearned her habit of nightly self-criticism and embraced vulnerability

About Sayaka

Sayaka Matsui is the Representative Executive Officer and General Counsel of Unilever Japan Holdings G.K., where she leads legal, compliance, and risk management for one of the world’s most recognised global brands.

Before joining Unilever in 2019, she held legal roles at Credit Saison, Waseda Legal Commons Law Office, Daizawa Law Office, and Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. Sayaka also spent a year as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, broadening her global perspective on law and social impact.

She is deeply committed to the next generation of legal talent, providing programs to law schools and judicial apprentices to promote understanding of in-house legal work, and in 2025, she was appointed as a member of MEXT’s advisory committee on law schools.

Sayaka holds a J.D. (Professional) and LL.B. from Waseda University.

In her spare time, she loves watching international TV dramas and learning foreign languages.

Connect with Sayaka

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayaka-matsui-881a61188/

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Midori Yamaguchi is a Senior Associate at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto in Tokyo whose career spans Singapore, the US, and Japan. We hear about her two-year secondment to METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), where she was the only lawyer on the legislation drafting team where she helped create Japan's new pre-insolvency regime - literally dreaming about the law every night. If you're contemplating a step off the well trodden career path of private practice, and think it’s not possible to come back on track, or if you are seeking inspiration, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Midori's father shaped her values of fairness and honesty

• The pivotal role of taking opportunities based on enjoyment rather than fear

• Powerful lessons from working across Singapore, the US, and Japan

• Practical strategies for building visibility in Japan's humble culture, including why putting your skills on display, isn't self-promotion

About Midori

Midori Yamaguchi is a Senior Associate at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto in Tokyo, where she specialises in restructuring and insolvency as well as dispute resolution. She is qualified in both Japan and New York.

Her practice has a strong cross-border focus: she has worked in the firm’s Singapore office, spent time at a U.S. law firm, and completed an LL.M. at New York University. Most recently, she concluded a secondment at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, where she was involved in drafting legislation to introduce a new pre-insolvency regime.

Recognised in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Japan for Arbitration and Mediation in 2022, she is regarded as a rising expert in international legal matters.

She actively contributes to the international restructuring and insolvency community through her regular publications and involvement with leading global organisations, including INSOL International as an INSOL Fellow, the International Insolvency Institute (III) as a NextGen member, the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), the Insolvency Section of the International Bar Association (IBA), and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI).

She has an LL.B. from Hitotsubashi University and J.D. from Hitotsubashi Law School.

Outside of work, she enjoys traveling abroad, scuba diving, and exploring Tokyo’s traditional public bathhouses.

Connect with Midori

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/midori-yamaguchi-3364a3222/

Firm: https://www.morihamada.com/en/people/midori-yamaguchi

Links

Ginza Music Bar: https://ginzamusicbar.com/

METI, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair

Yoshie Midorikawa is an inspiring international dispute resolution lawyer and a Co-founding Partner at Miura & Partners who has built a remarkable career on her own terms. From initially refusing to use English to becoming a leading voice in cross-border litigation - using English -, Yoshie shares her unconventional journey with refreshing honesty and humour.

Discover how this avid reader of detective stories transformed her love of mysteries into a successful legal career, why saying "no" at the start proved pivotal, and how she helped establish a law firm with over 30% female partners - a rarity in Japan. Whether you are an aspiring lawyer, seeking board positions, or simply curious about building an authentic career in a traditional culture, this episode offers practical wisdom wrapped in warmth and wit.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Head over to Apple Podcasts to leave a review and we’d love it if you would leave us a message here!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Yoshie's surprising declaration against using English that later reversed completely

• Why having 30% women in leadership transforms workplace dynamics and how Yoshie helped create this at her firm

• The importance of switching from detail-focused analysis to big-picture thinking for board roles

• Her favourite books and other fun facts

About Yoshie

Yoshie Midorikawa is a co-founding partner of Miura & Partners and has led the firm’s international dispute resolution practice since its launch in 2019. Since her admission to the bar in 2007, she has advised on a broad range of dispute resolution matters, with a particular focus on complex commercial disputes.

In addition to her practice as external counsel, Yoshie serves as an independent director on the boards of several listed Japanese companies across industries including consulting, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, and real estate. Her board experience enhances her ability to deliver commercially grounded, practical legal solutions tailored to business realities.

Yoshie has been recognised as Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year at the ALB Japan Law Awards 2025. She is also ranked as a Next Generation Partner in Dispute Resolution by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific since 2023, currently shortlisted as Japan Female Lawyer of the Year by asialaw Awards 2025, and is recognised by Best Lawyers in Japan for her work in Litigation, International Arbitration, and Corporate Governance and Compliance.

She actively contributes to the legal community through regular publications and speaking engagements, particularly on Japanese law and cross-border dispute resolution including third-party litigation funding.

Admitted to practice in Japan and New York, Yoshie is a Council Member of the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA), and serves on the panel of arbitrators at the Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (JCAA), the Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC), and the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC).

She holds a J.D. from the University of Tokyo School of Law and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School.

Outside of her legal work, Yoshie enjoys spending time with her family and finding balance through yoga. She recently acquired the skills to sew dresses based on her daughter’s drawings, which she finds very rewarding. She is also a devoted fan of US and UK courtroom and intelligence dramas. Her passion for solving puzzles dates back to her school days, when she was an avid reader of detective stories.

Connect with Yoshie

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoshie-midorikawa-7663aa83/

Links

Le Marquis: https://hotel-chinzanso-tokyo.com/dining/marquis/

Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do: https://amzn.asia/d/bj7iR6Q

Connect with Catherine

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair