Japan will likely see a record number of attempts by foreign companies to buy domestic firms this year, spurred by changes in government policy and a weak yen.
Foreign firms made 157 proposals to buy or acquire majority stakes in Japanese companies as of the end of August, according to compiled data. That’s on pace to exceed last year’s record of 193.
Driving the trend are government guidelines from two years ago, which instructed companies to give "sincere consideration” to takeover offers and not reject them simply because they are unwelcome to the existing executives. With the yen trading about 11% less than its five-year average, targets are also cheaper for overseas buyers.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.