Kishida Floats Buyback Regulations, Spooking Japanese Stocks

  • Premier says guidelines on repurchases might be appropriate
  • But he said caution needed on introducing strict regulations

Fumio Kishida

Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida indicated he could consider writing guidance for companies on share buybacks, triggering a dip in the nation’s stock market that’s been boosted by such repurchases in recent years.

Kishida said introducing “guidelines” on buybacks would be appropriate, in response to a question in parliament from opposition lawmaker Takayuki Ochiai. The Japanese premier added that caution would be needed in implementing any strict regulations.