Japan's family-owned firms face slow stock growth as corporate reform spreads

CompaniesHistoric advantages of long-term planning, fast decisions offset by governance worriesThe founder of Nidec stepped down as chairman emeritus earlier this year after governance issues came to light. (Photo by Atsushi Ooka)MAYU NAKADASeptember 4, 2026 03:47 JSTTOKYO -- Shares of businesses where founding family members have significant management control or major shareholdings have underperformed in recent years, with the advantages associated with such companies, such as speedy decision-making, fading as corporate governance reforms spread.