1. About the firm
Beyond Precedent. Propelling Business Forward.
MORITA & OTANI IP is a Tokyo-based intellectual property boutique established in June 2025. The firm was founded to provide partner-led IP counsel to innovation-driven companies -- and in particular, to startup founders and venture capital funds shaping Japan's next economy. Although recently formed, the firm draws on its founders' combined decades of experience advising domestic and international clients on patent prosecution, litigation and IP strategy at leading Japanese patent and law firms.
The firm's defining commitment is to seed- and early-stage engagement. At this stage, both upside and uncertainty are extraordinary; the business itself is often still taking shape, and IP questions rarely admit textbook answers. The firm embraces that complexity, working alongside founders to translate business and technical insights into commercially meaningful IP positions that move with the business. It pairs legal rigor with practical guidance: what to file, when, and where, and how each patent asset supports fundraising, partnerships, market entry and exit. The aim is to let founders make business decisions with confidence.
2. Sector focus
The firm operates across two principal technology pillars:
- Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals -- pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, agricultural biotech and academic spin-outs.
- Information Technology and Telecommunications -- software, artificial intelligence (AI), telecommunications and connected devices.
3. Generative AI
The firm runs a generative AI workflow -- for invention capture, prior art analysis and drafting -- on dedicated on premises infrastructure, so client information never leaves the firm.
4. Startup and VC practice
A key feature of the firm is its dedicated focus on the seed-to-exit arc. The firm advises founders from the seed stage onward on building defensible IP moats calibrated to commercial milestones, fundraising rounds and exit strategy, and acts for Japanese venture capital funds on IP due diligence for portfolio companies. The firm regularly publishes and lectures on IP strategy for high-growth companies.
5. International capability
The firm's international practice is centered on outbound work for Japanese clients building global patent portfolios, with the United States and Europe as principal destinations, coordinated through a trusted network of foreign associates. The firm also acts for foreign clients seeking patent protection in Japan. English is a working language of the firm, whose members are active in the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) and AIPPI Japan.
