IR activities are becoming more and more important for enterprises.
Please take advantage of the knowledge and skills offered by our leadership team capable of presenting and supporting the execution of solutions that meet the needs of various enterprises under both normal and abnormal circumstances.
Yoshiko IwataYoshiko Iwata Chairperson, Member of the Board,J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd.
Senior Advisor, Japan Board Review Co., Ltd.
Career Summary
After gaining experience in diverse operations such as foreign exchange, financing, ALM analysis and risk management planning in the Tokyo Branch of a US bank, she joined a major US credit card company. She participated in expanding the credit card’s share in Japan, establishing a Japanese settlement center ahead of the rest of the world and an IC card trial.
She began her investor relations career in 1992 and in December 1994, joined Technimetrics (now “Thomson Financial Investor Relations”), a U.S. IR consulting firm, when it established its Tokyo office in. She was the first to propose market-oriented IR activities in Japan. Until she left the company, she served as Senior Director, Japan & Korea. She handled over 100 companies while working there, and most of the companies now considered to be IR pioneers were included among her clients.
Joined by members of the Japanese enterprise team, she established J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. As Japan’s first global IR consulting firm. Utilizing her experience, she has conducted a full-fledged IR consulting business based in Japan. At present, clients include not only listed companies, but also emerging companies and companies prior to listing.
Member of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Blue-Chip Company Selection Committee (2007 to 2011), Director of the Japan Academic Society of Investor Relations
Launched the Study Group on Direct Investment in Japan within the “Japan Revitalization Strategy – JAPAN is BACK” at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in October 2013
Graduated from Oin Senior High School
Received a B.A. in Economics from Keio University.
Received a Ph.D. in Economics from Kyoto University in 2016
Books & Articles
“Funding of Japanese Companies Falling Behind Europe and America” [Harvard Business Review, November 1992]
“For the Establishment of an Analyst Evaluation Organization” [Toyo Keizai Extra Number, 1994]
“The Current State and Future Issues of IR Activities by Japanese Companies” [Shoji Homu, November 26, 1996]
“IR Activities Determining Share Prices - Effect in Dealing with General Shareholders Meetings on the Condition of Being an International Blue-Chip Stock” [Nikkei Kinyu Shimbun, February 1997]
“Problems with the Voting System in Japan and a Proposal for Improvements” [Shoji Homu, March 5, 2000 Edition]
“Management of a New Century - Three Principles for Creating Serious IR and Disclosure Policies for the Market,” [Nikkei Business, November 6, 2000]
IR that Touches a Chord with Investors and Analysts [Co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., January 2001]
A Practical Guide to Public Offerings for People Involved for the First Time [Co-authored, Chuokeizai-sha, Inc., 2003]
Authored eight articles on “New Trends in Corporate Governance Disclosure” in the “Eyes Opened” Series [Nihon Keizai Shimbun, August 2010]
Authored four articles on “Latest Information on Corporate Governance Disclosure” in the “I See Investment Lecture” Series [Nihon Keizai Shimbun, August 2011]
Authored the IR part in “Fund Management - Management and Practices of Investment Management Companies” [Doyukan, December 2013]
Lead author of “Stewardship Code & Corporate Governance Code - The Impact on Japanese Companies and IR Activities” [Doyukan, December 2014]
“Convincing Medium-term Investors - IR Response to the Corporate Governance Code” [Chuokeizai-sha, November 2015]
etc.
She has also authored numerous other articles on IR such as “The Role of General Meetings Viewed in the Latest Circumstances in America” (Weekly Toyo Keizai, June 10 / June 17, 2000 editions), “Powering Up Japanese Management,” “IR in the Year 2000,” and “The United States Conscious of the IT Era” in the journal published by the Japan Investor Relations Association, “From the IR Workplace” in Nihon Securities Journal in late 2001, and “The Basics of IR” in the TSE Mothers E-mail Newsletter.
Yoshiko TakayamaYoshiko Takayama Vice Chairperson, J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd.
Director, Member of the Board, Japan Board Review Co., Ltd.
Career Summary
Joined Investment Banking Division of Merrill Lynch & Co in New York. Provided advice to Japanese companies in Japan and abroad on topics such as corporate finance and M&A in New York, London and Tokyo. After working at Thomson Financial Investor Relations, she has provided consulting on IR activities and corporate governance at J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. In 2015, she was appointed as President of Japan Board Review Co., Ltd. and has provided support for board evaluations of numerous Japanese companies.
Her other positions include;
Director, Japan Corporate Governance Network (to present)
Governor, International Corporate Governance Network (2010-2015)
Member of the “Council of Experts Concerning the Follow-up of Japan’s Stewardship Code and Japan’s Corporate Governance Code” operated by the Financial Services Agency and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (to present)
Member of the “Council of Experts on the Stewardship Code” operated by the Financial Services Agency (2017)
Member of the “Committee for Studying Scoring Criteria for Selecting Enterprises as Nadeshiko Brands” operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
She received a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Tokyo and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. She received a Ph.D. (Socio-Information and Communication Studies), Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, the University of Tokyo.
Books & Articles
“Everything about Independent Directors - What is their Role?/Who are They?” [Co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., 2004]
“The Day Shareholders Awaken - Corporate Governance will Change Japan” [Co-authored, Shoji Homu, 2004]
“Manual for IR and General Shareholder Meetings Targeting Institutional Investors” [Co-authored, Chuokeizai-sha, Inc., 2007]
“Board Evaluation and Corporate Governance - From the Era of Form to the Era of Effectiveness” [Shoji Homu No. 2043, 2014]
“Discussion Aimed at Ensuring Effectiveness of Governance through Board Evaluation (Part 1)” [Shoji Homu No. 2049, 2014]
“Discussion Aimed at Ensuring Effectiveness of Governance through Board Evaluation (Part 2)” [Shoji Homu No. 2052, 2014]
"Stewardship and Corporate Governance” [co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., January 2015]
“Objectives, Processes and Disclosure of Board Evaluation” [Business Homu, April 2015 Edition]
“Board Evaluation Practices and Issues” [Securities Analyst Journal, April 2015 Edition]
etc.
Yasumasa TanakaYasumasa Tanaka President
Career Summary
Joined The Sumitomo Trust and Banking Co., Ltd. (now Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited) in 1992. After working in Wholesale (Corporate) and Retail (Individual) Sales, and the Wholesale Planning Division, was transferred to the Stock Transfer Agency Department in 2001.
Since then, he has been engaged in stock transfer agent operations based out of Tokyo and Osaka, and been involved in share administration and shareholder meeting support for over two decades.
In addition to providing advice on many instances of corporate restructuring, capital policy such as capital increases and share splits, and share administration such as preparation for IPO, he has also contributed to smooth operation of shareholder meetings conscious of dialogue with shareholders through workshops (lectures) for chairpersons of shareholder meetings and advice, etc. on rehearsals for tens of companies every year as the positioning and operation of shareholder meetings undergo significant changes.
In 2006, he was appointed as an advisor to the Tokyo Association of Shareholder Affairs, and provided information, exchanged opinions and provided advice, etc. on a variety of themes for the person in charge of shares at a listed company.
Since the Japan’s Corporate Governance Code was established in 2015, he has supported the Boards and management of many listed companies, such as providing advice on governance and officer compensation, consulting on dialogue with investors, and advice on handling of sustainability including human capital.
After serving in posts such as the Deputy General Manager of the Stock Transfer Agency Business Planning Department from July 2019 and the General Manager of the Stock Transfer Agency Business Department II from July 2021, he was appointed as President of J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. in April 2023.
Graduated from Toin Gakuen Senior High School.
Graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University.
Noriko SuzukiNoriko Suzuki Senior Manager
Career Summary
Since joining J-Eurus IR in 2002, she has been engaged in a project to construct a comprehensive database of institutional investors who manage Japanese equities. She has been also engaged in domestic and overseas shareholder identification surveys, perception studies with institutional investors, and support for IR activities of overseas companies in Japan and overseas IR of Japanese companies. She also has a strong track record supporting IR activities of companies in settings such as annual shareholder meetings, proxy fights and TOBs.
Based on her extensive experience in attending engagement meetings between investors and companies, she is involved in programs such as disclosure on corporate governance and “board evaluation”, utilizing her knowledge of corporate governance from an investor's perspective.
She received a B.A. in International Relations from Tsuda College (now Tsuda University).
Makiko MiyajiMakiko Miyaji Senior Manager
Career Summary
After joining a Japanese major electronics manufacturer, she was involved in IR and SEC correspondence in the United States, as well as consolidated financial statements and business planning at a listed subsidiary.
Since joining J-Eurus in 2005, she has engaged in shareholder identification surveys and institutional investors perception studies, and provided consulting to Japanese companies on IR activities centered on the perception gap between Japanese companies and institutional shareholders. She is also in charge of proxy solicitation projects related to large M&A and takeover defense, TOB support, anti-activist measures, research of proxy voting, board evaluation, and consulting related to corporate governance.
In 2014 she engaged in the first “Board Evaluation” process in Japanese company, and since then has been involved in overall Board Evaluation program by J-Eurus and its subsidiary Japan Board Review CO., Ltd.
She received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Tokyo.
Maki HarayamaMaki Harayama Senior Manager
Career Summary
After working in a major retailer company, she joined J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. She provides detailed support of day-to-day IR activities, performs research and support such as Japanese and overseas shareholder identification surveys and hearings of institutional investors, and provides support for overseas IR and SR. She is responsible for annual report on the earnings briefings of Japanese companies in the J-Eurus Newsletter.
She graduated from the Department of Political Studies of the Faculty of Law at Gakushuin University.
She obtained an MBA upon graduation from the Graduate School of International Management at Aoyama Gakuin University.