Controversial vote helped Japan's Cosmo prevail on 'poison pill'

Activist Murakami's group claims proposal would have failed if they were not shut out

20230623N Cosmo  sign

The company's businesses include oil exploration, renewable energy and gas stations. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura). 

KATSUYA MIYAKAWA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's Cosmo Energy Holdings made waves with the unusual type of shareholder vote it used to pass a takeover defense measure while excluding activist investor Yoshiaki Murakami, whose opposition may otherwise have doomed the proposal.

The so-called poison pill allows Cosmo to dilute the stake held by a Murakami-led group of investors if it seeks to buy more shares under certain conditions. It was approved at a general meeting Thursday with 59.54% support, according to a report filed Friday by Cosmo.

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