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Shigeru Sato
For Shigeru Sato's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jun 25, 2016
With Brexit, Japan Inc. gets acquisition bargains
Japanese companies, which have embarked on a $210 billion global acquisition spree over the past three years, are getting a surprise bargain out of Brexit.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 3, 2016
Bain, PAG Asia get in line for potential Takata purchase
Bain Capital and PAG Asia Capital are evaluating bids for Takata Corp., joining KKR & Co. among private equity firms with an interest in the Japanese air bag supplier behind a record safety recall, according to people familiar with the matter. Takata's shares surged.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Apr 20, 2016
Loeb's pick to run 7-Eleven operator faces next task: boosting margins
The head of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan survived an attempt by his boss to remove him and emerged as president at Seven & I Holdings Co. His next hurdles: turn around weaker units and navigate a leadership transition at the country's largest retailer.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 2, 2015
With massive IPO of Japan Post, the nation seeks to shake decades of torpor
As Japan prepares this week for the biggest initial public offering in the world since Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in September 2014, the government hopes that the ¥1.5 trillion privatization of the postal service will help revive the country from its 20-year slump.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 16, 2015
Japan fund on $10 billion quest to discover the next Elon Musk
Toshiyuki Shiga is on a $10 billion quest to discover Japan’s top entrepreneurs, people who can found companies as globally competitive as Tesla Motors Co. and Apple Inc.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 27, 2015
After dropping finance for social media, Wantedly CEO eyes IPO
With experience at Facebook Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Akiko Naka's resume at 26 already read like that of a corporate veteran. Then she decided to add entrepreneur to the mix.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 10, 2015
Quantum wins $20.5 million funding to build a rapid DNA sequencer
Quantum Biosystems Inc., an Osaka-based company developing a faster genome sequencer, has raised ¥2.4 billion in venture-capital funding from firms including Jafco Co., people with knowledge of the matter said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 25, 2014
After IPO, Recruit finds 100 potential acquisition targets
Recruit Holdings Co., Japan's biggest provider of temporary staff, has identified about 100 global companies as potential takeover targets since its an initial public offering this month.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 30, 2014
Rakuten exec takes action to help moms
Mie Kurosaka, Rakuten Inc.'s first female executive, returned to work at Japan's biggest online mall operator only three weeks after giving birth in 2002.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 8, 2014
Lixil mulls another overseas takeover
Lixil Group Corp., which agreed to buy bathroom-fixture makers American Standard Brands and Grohe Group last year, is studying another overseas acquisition to boost revenue from emerging markets.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 12, 2013
Top pension fund urged to buy airport concessions
New Kansai International Airport Co. is seeking to attract the state-run retirement fund to a sale of two airport concessions that could raise as much as ¥1.2 trillion.
JAPAN
Aug 19, 2013
Hanford offers Tepco lesson in cleaning up Fukushima
Hanford Engineer Works produced the 9 kg of plutonium for the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. It's among the most toxic nuclear waste sites and the place Japan is turning to for help dealing with the melted reactors in Fukushima.
BUSINESS
May 19, 2012
Resona vows early bailout payback
Resona Holdings Inc., recipient of a ¥1.96 trillion bailout in 2003, plans to pay back most of the money still owed to taxpayers earlier than scheduled thanks to growing profit reserves.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2012
MUFJ to hire 200 for derivatives business
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. will hire 50 currency and interest-rate derivatives traders globally in the next three years to help more than double annual profit in the business to ¥500 billion.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 7, 2011
Bankers urge aid for Tepco
The government needs to come to the financial aid of Tokyo Electric Power Co. before banks resume lending to the beleaguered utility, the head of the Japanese Bankers Association said.
BUSINESS
Jan 6, 2011
Sumitomo to double water biz workers
Sumitomo Corp. will double the head count of its global water division within seven years in a bid to boost the size of its water assets eightfold through investment and acquisitions.
JAPAN
Dec 2, 2009
Amano faces defiant Tehran, Pyongyang
, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks with Malaysia's Mohd Arshad bin Monzoor Hussein, chairman of the IAEA's Board of Governors, as departing IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei looks on at Vienna's International Center on Friday. AP PHOTO
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 9, 2009
IPO eyed for Showa Shell solar-panel unit
Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. is considering selling shares in a solar-panel unit to fund an expansion of its renewable energy business and cut reliance on fuel sales.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 31, 2009
TCI learned the hard way via J-Power play
It was a crisp day in November 2005 when hedge fund manager John Ho entered Electric Power Development Co.'s headquarters in Tokyo, betting Japan's corporate attitudes were ripe for change.
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2009
Firms face call for outside directors
The government may require publicly traded companies to hire outside directors to enhance corporate governance standards as the Nikkei average trades near two-decade lows.

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