Seven & I Reply to Couche-Tard Shows Japan’s M&A Era Has Arrived
- 7-Eleven owner signals willingness to consider sweetened offer
- Japan pushing for better governance, clearer guidelines
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When Seven & i Holdings Co. rejected Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.’s takeover proposal, the Japanese retailer took pains to clarify that price was the issue, not the idea of an acquisition itself.
That’s one sign of a broader change underway in corporate Japan, long considered impenetrable because of entrenched interests that protected companies. Years of pressure from regulators and investors to loosen up are finally starting to bear fruit, creating an environment where transformational deals are now more possible.