TOKYO – The hospitality and leisure consulting services practice of Horwath Asia Pacific Japan, a registered Japanese limited company owned by Hotel Restaurant Systems Inc., by mutual agreement has transferred to Arthur Andersen, Tokyo.

With the addition of the entire Horwath Asia Pacific Japan hospitality and leisure consulting team, Arthur Andersen is the first of the Big 5 accounting firms to establish a hospitality industry-focused consulting practice in Japan.

Joining Arthur Andersen are Ryu Iwaya, Katsuhiro Goto and Shuya Kuwana. Iwaya brings more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry both in Asia Pacific and Europe.

Prior to joining Arthur Andersen, Iwaya was president of Horwath Asia Pacific Japan and was the founder and executive vice president of Hotel Restaurant Systems, Inc. His areas of specialization include concept development, market and feasibility studies, project management, and contract negotiation assistance.

Katsuhiro Goto specializes in market analysis, feasibility studies, situation analysis, pre-operating technical assistance services, project management, evaluation of management agreements, and valuation analysis. He has more than 20 years of industry experience.

Shuya Kuwana has extensive industry experience in hotel operations. While at Horwath, Kuwana developed their hotel asset transaction services practice, which involved the disposition and evaluation of Japanese-owned hotel assets located overseas.

Horwath Asia Pacific will continue to operate hospitality and leisure consulting services practices in Singapore/Hong Kong, and Sydney.

Arthur Andersen is the leading provider of business advisory services to the hotel, leisure and casino gaming industries, as well as to governments, owners, operators, financiers and investors worldwide. An extensive network of 320 dedicated partners and managers in 107 offices in 6 countries distinguishes Arthur Andersen as the only truly global hospitality and leisure practice.

The Tokyo office is located in the Nissei Building, 1-18, Ageba-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0824.

Arthur Andersen is a global professional services organization consisting of over 100 member firms in 81 countries. Its more than 70,000 people are united by a single worldwide operating structure and a common culture that fosters innovation, knowledge sharing and quality service.

This unique one-firm approach qualifies the people of Arthur Andersen to serve clients by bringing together any of more than 40 services in a way that transcends geographic borders and organizational lines.

Arthur Andersen's people provide effective business solutions to more than 100,000 clients around the world. Since its beginning in 1913, Arthur Andersen has realized 85 years of uninterrupted growth. With revenues of over $6 billion, it stands today as a world leader in professional services. Arthur Andersen is a business unit of Andersen Worldwide.

Gina Marie Gralnik
619-699-6940
Arthur Andersen Real Estate Hospitality & Services Group