JPX Monthly Headlines

In 2017, 93 companies were newly listed on TSE. The number increased by 9 from a year earlier. We believe the IPO pipeline still remains strong.
In 2017, we concluded basic agreements of collaboration with regional financial institutions and built a system to advance our listing promotions activities throughout Japan. Our efforts this year laid the groundwork; and, in 2018, we will continue ensuring the quality of IPOs through cooperation with underwriters, audit firms, and other market participants involved in the IPO process while proactively advancing our listing promotions activities.

TSE concluded a basic agreement with THE NISHI-NIPPON CITY BANK, LTD. (NC BANK) for cooperative relations concerning the capital market. This is the first initiative for a regional financial institution in Kyushu and TSE to work together for regional economic development. The central goals are to support companies in the region according to their growth stages, share information and knowledge in various areas related to the capital market, and establish a cooperative system through personnel exchanges. TSE will accompany NC BANK to companies in the region to support their listing or growth and hold events such as seminars on listing and financial lectures. We hope these efforts will contribute to further revitalizing and developing the economy in Kyushu.

JPX has joined the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative as a partner exchange. The SSE initiative is organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the UN Global Compact, the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, and the Principles for Responsible Investment. The SSE initiative is a platform for stock exchanges to explore and deliberate ways and means toward building sustainable societies through collaborating with investors, listed companies, and other capital market stakeholders. JPX has promoted sustainability initiatives on several fronts in Japan. It formulated Japan's Corporate Governance Code, offers ESG-related indices and ETFs, and launched an infrastructure fund market. JPX also selects listed companies in recognition of outstanding efforts in promoting women empowerment and employee health and productivity. JPX will stand alongside like-minded peers on a global platform and showcase not only its work but also other developments in Japan.

JPX held concerts in Osaka and Tokyo. This is the second year we host this event to express our gratitude and promote the exchanges. With the theme of a "Christmas Concert", we invited string quartets whose repertoire for the shows included Christmas songs and the theme for NHK’s popular historical drama series. Attendance at both venues totaled over 700 persons.

On December 29, JPX and its group companies held a ceremony on the last trading day of 2017. Among the many in attendance were representatives of companies listed throughout the year, market participants, and those from the general public who were selected to join by drawing. The special guest for 2017 at TSE was professional Go (strategy board game) player Yuta Iyama. He won the youngest-ever Go Meijin title in 2009 and, as of October 2017, has become the first of any professional Go or Shogi (Japanese chess) player to obtain all seven major titles twice. Mr. Iyama rang the bell, and then all attendees and spectators joined in a ceremonial hand-clapping to close the year.