Legal & Compliance Manager - Japan

We are seeking an experienced Legal & Compliance Manager to support the establishment of our Japan operations. This role will be instrumental in driving legal, regulatory, and compliance activities related to new entity setup, licensing requirements, regulatory engagement, and the development of a robust compliance framework aligned with local and global regulatory expectations.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on 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.

• Lead legal and compliance activities related to the establishment of new entities, licensing applications, regulatory approvals, and business expansion initiatives in Japan.
• Serve as the primary legal and compliance advisor on payments, merchant acquiring, fintech, and financial services matters, ensuring adherence to local regulatory requirements.
• Develop, implement, and maintain compliance frameworks, policies, procedures, governance structures, and internal controls for Japan operations.
• Act as the key liaison with Japanese regulators, including the Financial Services Agency (FSA), managing regulatory submissions, inquiries, examinations, and audits.
• Monitor and assess changes in relevant laws, regulations, and industry requirements, providing practical guidance to business stakeholders.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial, customer, vendor, partnership, and corporate agreements.
• Lead compliance risk assessments and oversee key compliance programs, including AML/CFT, sanctions, data privacy, consumer protection, and third-party risk management.
• Partner closely with business, finance, HR, operations, and technology teams to support strategic initiatives while effectively managing legal and regulatory risks.
• Manage external legal counsel, consultants, and advisors, while delivering compliance training and fostering a strong culture of ethics, governance, and regulatory compliance across the organization.

• Bachelor's degree in Law, Business, Finance, Compliance, or a related discipline; legal qualification is preferred.
• 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.