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Hitomi Komachi

Partner

Hitomi has extensive experience advising on a wide range of project development and financing transactions in the energy and infrastructure sector. She also has complementary acquisition financing and restructuring experience in the lifecycle of energy and infrastructure assets.

She regularly acts for sponsors, export credit agencies, development financing institutions and financiers globally on innovative first in kind transactions. She is a co-founder and a core member of the Hydrogen Interest Group, A&O's internal global network of practitioners sharing know-how and experiences on energy transition opportunities. Hitomi advises on hydrogen, ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel and e-methanol projects for global shipping companies, trading companies and developers, in addition to her traditional practice advising on renewable power, LNG and petrochemical and refinery projects. She regularly contributes to publications on energy transition and energy security, including as part of the firm's Financing the gap: a blueprint for decarbonisation and Reflections on COP series.

Hitomi has been recognised as a "Next Generation Partner" for Projects & Energy in Japan by the Asia Pacific Legal 500 directory.

Experience

Representative matters

KEXIM and SACE on the financing of the $6 billion integrated polymers complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, sponsored by Chevron Phillips Chemical and QatarEnergy.

A group of financial institutions and other NEXI Covered Lenders on a USD 1.4 billion pre-export financing to CSN Mineração S.A. in connection with itabrite for green steel making.

The ECAs and lenders on the development and financing of the USD10 bn Coral FLNG project to be moored in the Area 4 Coral South Offshore Basin, Mozambique. The first-ever project financing of a floating LNG vessel (FLNG), the first LNG project Mozambique and the USD5bn financing was the largest project financing in African history at the time.

JBIC, NEXI and ADB and the commercial lenders on the USD1.8bn 2x800MW Jawa 1 FSRU and gas-fired IPP project in Indonesia, the first LNG-to-Power project in Asia. Advice included all aspects of the project documents, including the engineering, procurement, and construction agreements, as well as reviewing the LNG supply agreements and FSRU time charter agreements for the lenders.

Pro bono

Featured in Infralogic: Demand from Japan, South Korea, prime Australia’s green hydrogen pump

Featured in Energy Unplugged (Podcast): Japan’s Green Transformation Act

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Member, The Law Society of England and Wales
  • Registered foreign lawyer in Japan, 2020 (Tokyo Bar Association)
Recognition
Rising Star: Projects & Energy (Japan - International Firms and Joint Ventures).
Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2020-2023

Qualifications

Admissions

Registered Foreign Lawyer (England & Wales), Japan, 2020 (Tokyo Bar Association)
Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2010 

Academic

Bachelor of Science, International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science, 2006
LLB, the College of Law, 2008