Activist investors are poised to make record shareholder proposals in Japan this year, emboldened by a Tokyo Stock Exchange campaign to boost valuations, as the combined pressure on companies becomes one catalyst for a market that just hit a three-decade high.
The number of proposals submitted for this year’s shareholder meetings has jumped about 60% from the same time last year, according to data from consultancy IR Japan Holdings. It’s already reached 75% of last year’s all-time high of 58 proposals.
Investors including Aya Murakami, the daughter of famous local shareholder activist Yoshiaki Murakami, and Oasis Management’s Seth Fischer say the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s latest campaign to get executives to improve long-depressed valuations is serving as a tailwind for their own efforts. Bourse operator Japan Exchange Group announced in January that it will prod companies that trade below book value to disclose plans to boost their share price.