Nearly 70% of Japanese firms expect an increase in proposals from activist investors, a monthly poll showed Thursday, as the government's push for better governance adds momentum to shareholder calls for better returns.
Companies in Japan were typically seen as unreceptive to demands from shareholders seeking greater returns and more efficient allocation of capital, but that has slowly changed as the government has encouraged changes in governance to draw more foreign investors.
According to the latest Reuters poll, 69% of Japanese companies expect the number of shareholder proposals to increase from current record levels, underscoring that corporate Japan is no longer able to ignore requests from investors.