More Japanese companies reap benefits of human capital investment

TOKYO -- Corporate investment in human capital, such as personnel development, is drawing the attention of investors who believe that a company's future depends on the performance of its most important asset: employees.

While market players have begun to scrutinize corporate policy on employee training and development, it is hard to glean human resources data from financial statements. A recent analysis of other data, however, has found that Japanese companies that emphasize career advancement and skills development of young employees have higher stock prices and earnings.