- Key government sites
- Regulatory agencies and stock exchanges
- Government sites (miscellaneous)
- Accounting and auditing sites
- Activist organisations
- Business and professional organisations
- Miscellaneous
1. Key government sites
Ministry of Finance (MOF): www.mof.go.jp
MOF's website is clean and well-designed, offering up-to-date statistics on Japan's economic and financial performance. Periodicals, research, information on Japanese government bonds, how to invest in Japan, and a "Links" section to other government sites and international institutions are provided.
Bank of Japan (BOJ): www.boj.or.jp/en
The country’s central bank. Its website contains a great deal of content relating to currencies, monetary policy and other macro-economic issues, but little about the governance of banks.
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2. Regulatory agencies and stock exchanges
Financial Services Agency (FSA): www.fsa.go.jp
The FSA is the single regulator for the Japanese financial industry. While not a sophisticated site, there is useful information on recent policy and rule changes, official speeches and links to related regulatory bodies. Unfortunately, most documents are not translated into English.
Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE): www.tse.or.jp/english
The TSE is the largest stock market in Japan. TSE’s site is easy to navigate, containing much current and historical information, and a good “Links” section, but is not as comprehensive as its Japanese counterpart.
Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC): www.fsa.go.jp/sesc/english
The SESC was formally launched in 1992 and has three functions: compliance inspections of securities houses, stock exchanges and financial futures brokers; market surveillance; and investigating securities crimes, including insider trading, market manipulation and falsified financial statements. The site is mostly quite bare, but does contain a useful section called "What's Hot", which offers detailed information on SESC's most recent investigations. Look in its annual report for statistics of past investigations.
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3. Government sites (miscellaneous)
Corporate Governance Japan (CGJ): www.rieti.go.jp
Founded in 2002 by the Japanese government’s Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI), CGJ is an online forum for the discussion and debate of corporate governance issues in Japan. The site provides an extensive library of downloadable reports, papers and research covering a broad range of corporate governance subjects. A valuable resource for understanding corporate governance in Japan.
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4. Accounting and auditing sites
Certified Public Accountants and Auditing Oversight Board (CPAAOB): www.fsa.go.jp/cpaaob/english
CPAAOB was established on April 1, 2004 to enhance the function and system of monitoring CPAs and audit firms. The site only contains documents explaining CPAAOB's inception and functions.
Accounting Standards Board of Japan (ASBJ): www.asb.or.jp
Established by the Financial Accounting Standards Foundation (FASF), the ASBJ is the body responsible for the establishment and maintenance of Japan’s accounting and auditing standards. A simple website that provides a detailed and technical resource for Japanese accounting and auditing issues, including information on the FASF.
The Japanese Institute of Certified Professional Accountants (JICPA): www.jicpa.or.jp
A basic brochureware site that provides limited data on Japanese accounting and auditing systems. The site lacks a search engine and provides no library or data resource.
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5. Activist organisations
Japan Corporate Governance Forum (JCGF): www.jcgf.org
A membership organisation that aims to promote and debate corporate governance issues in Japan. JCGF issued the first corporate governance principles in 1998, the full version of which can be read on this site or on ACGA's "Codes and Rules" page. The English language site is limited in content, providing limited information and much is outdated. This site does not do justice to JCGF's contribution to corporate governance reform in Japan.
The Kabunushi (Shareholders’) Ombudsman (KO): www1.neweb.ne.jp/wa/kabuombu
The KO is a non-profit organisation comprising lawyers, accountants, academics and shareholders. It aims to reform Japanese management practices to incorporate the views of all shareholders in Japanese companies. The KO has been particularly active and high profile in pursuing its goals, and is increasingly influential. The website is in Japanese with few pages in English, essentially limited to a brief description of its mission and activities.
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6. Business and professional organisations
Nippon Keidanren (NK): www.keidanren.or.jp
The Japan Business Federation, or Nippon Keidanren, is an influential economic organisation comprising more than 1,600 members, including more than 1,300 companies. The aim of Keidanren is to promote and develop a free, fair and transparent Japanese economy. The Keidanren’s English website is well laid out and current, including many publications and research on a wide range of economic, social and management issues, including corporate governance.
Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives): www.doyukai.or.jp/english
Keizai Doyukai is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organisation that was formed in 1946 by business leaders to help with the reconstruction of the Japanese economy. It is actively involved in conducting research, in-depth studies and discussions on the Japanese economy and its future, influencing government policies and industries. The English website, however, is sparse and outdated, containing its policy proposals, including on corporate social responsibility, an overview of the organisation, and how to contact them.
American Chamber of Commerce Japan (ACCJ): www.accj.or.jp
Established in 1948, ACCJ's mission is to promote commerce between the US and Japan, support measures to benefit and protect the interests of US companies, present a variety of programmes that keep chamber members abreast of current business practices and trends, and foster a better international business environment in Japan. The organisation's membership consists of 3,200 professionals from 1,300 companies and more than 40 countries.
A well-organised, easy-to-navigate site, which offers a wealth of information on its members, committees, events, advocacy programmes, and publications, plus an extensive archive.
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7. Miscellaneous
Japan Corporate Governance Research Institute (JCGRI): www.jcgr.org
A non-profit organisation set up by individuals from academia and business, JCGRI aims to promote a deeper understanding of the values of corporate governance in Japan. The website is basic but contains some research and papers, including a downloadable version of its informative annual survey of the governance of large listed Japanese companies.
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