TOKYO -- Independent directors account for more than 30% of board members at Japan's publicly traded companies for the first time, reflecting a corporate push to tap diverse experiences and knowledge that is also expanding the ranks of women and foreign executives.
The number of external directors grew 9% from last year to over 4,400 at Japan's listed companies with a fiscal year ending in March, data compiled by Nikkei shows. The overall share of such directors also increased to 31.5% from 28.8%.
