Omron has announced leading-edge, detailedcorporate governance policies that focus around many of the principles and conceptsset forth in Japan's new corporate governance code. The shareholder-friendly policies apply a clear definition of independence, require that at least one-third of the board be independent directors,use advisory committees chairedby (and staffed mainly by)such externaldirectors for key functions, and apply a rigorous use of ROIC-based capital allocation.