One in Five Lawyers in Niigata Uses Legal Research AI "Legalscape" — Bridging the Legal Service Gap Between Urban and Rural Areas

Legalscape Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Itsuki Yagita; hereinafter "Legalscape") announced that one in five lawyers belonging to the Niigata Bar Association currently uses its legal research AI platform "Legalscape."

Niigata serves as a key legal practice hub in the Hokuriku and Shin'etsu regions, with lawyers handling diverse legal needs ranging from local civil matters to corporate law. Achieving adoption by one in five lawyers since the service's launch in June 2021 marks Legalscape's establishment as foundational legal research infrastructure even in regional cities.

Background: Lawyer Shortages in Rural Areas and the Need for Efficient Legal Research

Legal research—covering statutes, court rulings, and academic literature—is a core task in legal practice. In regional cities like Niigata, individual lawyers often handle a wide range of cases, including civil, criminal, family, and corporate law, necessitating broad legal research with limited resources. Compared to major cities where specialized law firms are concentrated, rural practitioners face significant challenges in research costs and information access.

To address this, Legalscape launched its AI-powered legal research platform "Legalscape" in June 2021, providing a unified environment for searching and viewing statutes, case law, books, and guidelines. In September 2023, the company became the first in Japan to introduce an AI research feature combining generative AI with its proprietary natural language processing technology.

Usage Details: Applied Across Diverse Practice Areas, from Local Civil Matters to Corporate Law

Currently, one in five lawyers in the Niigata Bar Association uses "Legalscape." Its ability to support cross-disciplinary legal research makes it particularly suitable for the diverse demands of regional legal practice.

Key factors driving its adoption include:

Industry-leading (※3) content volume: Over 4,500 legal books, case law, statutes, and guidelines—the largest collection in the industry.

AI Research Function: Combines generative AI and proprietary natural language processing to instantly summarize and present research findings.

Cross-domain unified search: Enables comprehensive searches across statutes, case law, books, and guidelines on a single platform, with one-click access to source materials.

Future Initiatives: Accelerating Adoption in Regional Cities to Become a National Legal Infrastructure

Legalscape will continue expanding access to legal professionals—including lawyers, corporate legal departments, judicial scriveners, and social insurance labor consultants—while further enhancing its AI research capabilities. Building on its success in Niigata, the company aims to accelerate deployment across regional cities, including the Hokuriku and Shin'etsu regions, to ensure lawyers everywhere have access to the same high-quality legal research tools available in major urban centers.

About the Legal Research Platform "Legalscape"

"Legalscape" is a legal research platform launched in June 2021. Using AI, it instantly summarizes essential legal information, enabling users to access answers faster than ever.

▼ Legalscape Service Website

https://www.legalscape.jp/

▼ Download Service Brochure

Detailed materials on "Legalscape" are available for download here:

https://www.legalscape.jp/contact

In September 2023, Legalscape became the first in Japan to introduce an AI research function combining generative AI with proprietary natural language processing technology. Praised for its next-generation user experience—offering an at-a-glance view of books, statutes, case law, and guidelines—and its industry-leading content volume (over 44,000 items, including more than 4,500 books)—the platform is widely used by top-tier law firms, major corporate legal departments, local law offices, social insurance labor consultant firms, and judicial scrivener offices across Japan.

About Legalscape Inc.

Legalscape operates under the purpose of "Implementing the Future Legal Society through Co-Creation of People and Technology." As a legal data and AI company, it leverages advanced natural language processing and foundational and applied research in generative AI for the legal domain. The company aims to support legal knowledge production and deliver accurate, fast, and widespread access to legal information, contributing to a richer, more equitable legal society.

Company Overview

Company Name: Legalscape Inc.

Representative: President and CEO Itsuki Yagita

Headquarters Office (Hongo Office)

〒113-0023 8F, Hongo HiRAKU GATE, 2-3-10 Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo

Tora-no-mon Office

6F, Sumitomo Fudosan Toranomon Tower, 2-2-1 Toranomon, Minato Ward, Tokyo 105-0001

Growth Toranomon Room 6

Founded: September 14, 2017

Official Website: https://www.legalscape.jp/corp

(※1) About Usage Rate

Denominator: Number of registered lawyers in the Niigata Bar Association (as of June 2026, Japan Federation of Bar Associations / company-published data)

Numerator: Number of lawyers in the association using the service (based on internal survey as of the same month)

(※2) As of September 2023. Based on internal survey.

(※3) Survey Overview

Conducted by: Mirai Trend Research Institute Inc.

Methodology: Comprehensive and multi-faceted interviews with providers and experts in Japan's "legal research services" market

Survey Period: September 10, 2025 – September 29, 2025

Reference Period: October 2024 – September 2025

Target Market: Research services enabling cross-searching and viewing of legal literature