Foreign takeovers of Japanese high-tech companies have been as rare as midwinter cherry blossoms, so Hon Hai Precision Industry's acquisition of Sharp inevitably raises the question of how successful the deal will prove.
Carlos Ghosn It is noticeable that the only other significant example, Applied Materials' purchase of Tokyo Electron, also took place under the premiership of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in 2013 -- though the deal was scrapped 18 months later, due to U.S. antitrust concerns.
