For Shigeru Sato's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
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. The yen soared Friday to its highest in more than two years, boosting local firms' purchasing power for deals abroad ...
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. The ...
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. Ryuichi ...
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. Prime Minister ...
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. The former chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co. described the search as an urgent mission for ...
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. Wantedly Inc., the recruiting and social networking platform she started in 2010, now ...
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. The investors also include state-backed Innovation Network Corp. of Japan, Mizuho Capital Co., University of ...
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. The Tokyo-based firm has the capacity to spend about ¥700 billion ($6.5 billion) on acquisitions over the next ...
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. Now, as one of Rakuten's four top female executives, the 47-year-old who oversees corporate social responsibility is pushing to have a ...
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. The planned deal will help Tokyo-based Lixil achieve its target of increasing sales from emerging markets to ...
