Stakeholders

Stakeholders impact on M&A in Japan: Depending on the details of your planned acquisition or partnership, you will need to build relationships and/or take care to some extent of the interests of stakeholders beyond the owners or the executive management of the company you are aiming to partner with.

In the case of larger companies, or in the case of strategic industries, you may need to discuss with government agencies or Japan’s Industry Ministry METI.

In strategic industries, especially in defence relevant industries, Government permission may be required for investments or acquisition.

In particular cases, approvals are necessary. An example are businesses where government licenses are required, e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry. Some types of licenses in Japan are not automatically transferred when a company is sold, and it may be necessary to apply for a transfer of licenses, or even to apply for new licenses. There may be a difference depending on whether an acquisition is a purchase of shares or a purchase of assets of the company while the company itself (without the acquired assets) remains with the previous owners.

1. M&A process
2. Understand the industry: research
3. Find and approach partners
4. Build cooperation
5. Stakeholders
6. Due diligence
7. Finance
8. Negotiate and close agreements
9. Post merger
10. Sale of a company by auction in Japan, or cross-border

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