The Evolution of Corporate Governance in Japan

By examining several key variables concerning corporate governance, Miyajima and Arikawa examine the evolutionary process of corporate governance arrangements in Japan from the 2000s to the early 2020s.

Japanese corporate governance has become more market-oriented and this book illustrates the impact of the change on corporate behavior, such as physical and R&D investments, business diversification and restructuring, information disclosure and corporate misconduct. This volume looks at how Japanese firms have evolved from cross-shareholding between firms and banks to a more shareholder-oriented system, with an expanding role for outside directors and, more importantly, large holdings by institutional shareholders (including activist and buyout funds). This notion of hybridization, which is one of the key concepts of this book, enhances the understanding of the evolution of corporate governance in Japan. As financial markets continue to globalize and institutional shareholders gain influence, firms in in civil law jurisdictions or coordinated market economies may find the book’s discussion of hybridization of interest.

An essential read for scholars in finance, management and organization as well as market participants and lawyers who wish to understand the current Japanese economy from a practical perspective.