King’s Business School invites you to a book talk by Professor Hideaki Miyajima, Executive Vice President for Financial Affairs and Professor of Japanese Economy at Waseda University, on the new edited volume (co-edited with Yasuhiro Arikawa):

The Evolution of Corporate Governance in Japan: Regulatory Changes, Global Financialization, and Corporate Performance (Routledge, 2025)

 

Over the past two decades, Japan has undergone major corporate governance reform. From the introduction of the Corporate Governance Code and Stewardship Code under Abenomics to the rise of institutional investors, shareholder activism, ESG engagement, and board restructuring, Japanese firms have experienced profound institutional change. As Japanese equity markets have seen renewed global attention and debates over shareholder activism, takeovers, and capital efficiency, understanding these reforms is very timely. This event explores what these reforms mean not only for Japan, but for the future of corporate governance globally.

 

About the book

The book analyses the evolution of Japanese corporate governance from the early 2000s to the 2020s. It examines two waves of reform, changes in ownership structures, the unwinding of cross-shareholding, the growing role of institutional investors, board reform, executive compensation, employment systems, and ESG investment.

The book asks whether Japan has converged toward an Anglo-American shareholder model or developed a distinctive hybrid system combining market discipline with relational employment and insider control. It also assesses the consequences of reform for corporate behaviour, innovation, and long-term competitiveness.

 

About the author

Professor Hideaki Miyajima (Graduate School of Commerce, Waseda University) is one of Japan’s leading scholars of corporate governance, ownership structures, and institutional change. He has served as a Faculty Fellow of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) and as a member of multiple advisory committees at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Financial Services Agency. His research has significantly shaped international understanding of the transformation of Japanese corporate governance.

 

Roundtable Discussion

The presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion and audience Q&A chaired by Professor Gregory Jackson, Professor of Comparative Business at King’s Business School.

 

What Does Japan’s Reform Tell Us About the Future of Corporate Governance?

Panelists:

• Professor Michael A. Witt
  Professor of International Business and Strategy, King’s Business School
• Professor Dionysia Katelouzou
  Professor of Corporate Law and Corporate Governance, The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London
• Professor Igor Filatotchev
  Professor of Corporate Governance and Strategy, King’s Business School

 

Who should attend?

The event will be of interest to academics, policy makers, and industry professionals engaged in corporate governance, institutional investment, ESG and stewardship, financial markets, and Japan’s position in global business.

A drinks reception will follow the discussion.