Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime market sheds 20% of listed companies in 2 years

TOKYO -- The number of companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime market has shrunk by 20% since the bourse was reshuffled two years ago, reflecting the higher standards expected from Japanese blue chips.

There were 1,650 companies listed on the Prime market at the end of March, the lowest level for the TSE's top tier in 12 years.