Being listed may be a huge benefit for startups and young companies that want to get their name in the public eye or hope to gather funds from the market.
But for talent agency Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. — known as the king of the comedy industry — being a public company has been more of a burden than a boon. At times it has made it difficult to quickly reach key business decisions.
Yoshimoto said Friday it plans to go private in a buyout by an investment fund involving broadcasters and other companies as the major talent agency seeks to expand its entertainment business in Asia.