Higher growth seen in Japanese-U.S. M&As, Daiwa exec says

NEW YORK (Kyodo) With the lifting of a ban on triangular mergers set for May, the outlook for Japanese-U.S. mergers and acquisitions is strong, and there will be more activity on the part of U.S. buyers in Japan, predicts the head of M&A at Daiwa Securities America Inc.

"M&A has become one of the major strategic tools to accelerate growth for both Japanese and U.S. companies," Andre Hilton, 48, executive vice president of Daiwa Securities America, said in a recent interview.

Last month, Daiwa Securities SMBC Co.'s president-designate, Shin Yoshidome, revealed his intention to bolster global M&A advisory services for Japanese companies, in cooperation with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.