Japan domestic M&A spending at 18-year high as buyout deals surge

Dealmaking frenzy driven by low interest rates and shareholder activism

The Tokyo Stock Exchange has called on listed companies to be conscious of the cost of capital and share prices. (Photo by Mizuho Miyazaki)

WATARU SUZUKI, Nikkei staff writer

December 21, 2023 15:55 JST

TOKYO -- Spending on mergers and acquisitions within Japan is on track to hit an 18-year high this year amid a wave of major offers to take companies private, driven by shareholder activism and low interest rates.

The value of domestic M&A transactions -- Japanese companies buying other Japanese companies -- stood at 7.67 trillion yen ($53.45 billion) as of Dec. 18, according to M&A advisory Recof. That is a 79% increase versus all of 2022 and the highest figure since 2005.