Month: December 2016

”Research Reveals “Human” Issues as Top Cyber Security and Business Risk”

2016-12-25 posted by

”…Based upon the data collected from the first global survey to capture the voice of cyber security professionals on the state of their profession, this final report of the two-part series, titled “Through the Eyes of Cyber Security Professionals: Annual Research Report (Part II),” concludes:

  • The clear majority (92%) believe that an average organization is vulnerable to some type of cyber-attack or data breach.
  • People and organizational issues contribute to the onslaught of security incidents.
  • Most organizations are feeling the effect of the global cyber security skills shortage.
  • Cyber security professionals have several suggestions to help improve the current situation.
  • Sixty-two percent (62%) believe critical infrastructure is very vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
  • Sixty-six percent (66%) believe government cyber security strategy tends to be incoherent and incomplete.
  • Eighty-nine percent (89%) of cyber security professionals want more help from their governments
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December 15th “Director Boot Camp” – Another Successful and Enjoyable Program! Next Course: February 17th

2016-12-16 posted by

On December 15th, BDTI held its English Director Boot Camp , attended by a number of experienced participants. Participants from various companies heard lectures about corporate governance and related topics by Nicholas Benes, and exchanged experiences and opinions at a spacious, comfortable room kindly donated for our use by Cosmo Public Relations, a leading communications and PR firm in Tokyo.

We are planning to hold the next course on February 17th. Sign up early!

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”Japan’s Coming Shareholder Revolution” (written in 2001！- perspective from the past)

2016-12-02 posted by

Here is an article I wrote in 2001, about the topic in the title. It makes interesting reading some 15 years later. While I may have made correct call… obviously I was a bit too early! It has taken a lot more work, by many persons, for Japan to move as far as it has come in the past years…and the job is not done yet.

“Last month, the Life Insurance Association of Japan published a survey of 561 public companies and 122 institutional investors, focusing on corporate governance and investor relations practices. The results exploded some myths regarding the supposed lack of support for modern corporate governance concepts among institutional shareholders in Japan. Japanese investors are in effect saying: “We want transparency and clear accountability, independent outside directors on boards, and independent board committees.”

The very fact that the survey addressed these topics is a breath of fresh air. Japan’s institutional investor community is weighing in on the emerging debate over corporate governance. It is none too late. Although they should be the most directly motivated constituency, institutional shareholders had been conspicuously quiet. Like most of Japan’s institutional investors, insurance companies have feared a backlash if they took a stance opposed by certain senior executives and politicians. They feared imperiling governmental assistance with industry cleanup, as well as losing insurance and pension business from companies in which they hold stock.

Logic and hard realities are finally coming to the fore. And the investor community will become more vocal as competition heats up in the fund management industry. Investment advisor companies, known as (toshi komon ), compete on the basis of investment returns and prudent decision-making, and do not have other businesses that might fear adverse repercussions.

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Japan’s Productivity Gap – Employment System Re-examined

2016-12-01 posted by

Japan’s GDP per hours worked only amounts to just above 60 percent of the level in the US. In a rapidly ageing society, such a situation is no longer tenable. When the employment to population ratio declines, productivity needs to increase in order to preserve the level of welfare.

Compared to other nations, Japan’s adult population is highly educated. Investment in research and development is also among the highest and corporations have access to an abundant amount of financial capital. The low level of productivity can therefore not be explained by lack of skills, technology or capital. Rather, the available resources are simply not employed in the best possible way.

The deficiencies are being acknowledged by the Japanese government, which is pushing for a “productivity revolution”. Besides the classic approach of promoting new technologies and the recent support for start-ups also undertaken in other countries, the emphasis is on corporate governance reform, more flexible labour markets and a change in working practices (hataraki-kata kaikaku, 働き方改革).

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