M&A IN JAPAN -- A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE

by P Reed Maurer

Mergers and acquisitions in Japan is a wide subject that could be treated in a variety of ways. An investment banker might trace the number and type of acquisitions in Japan and wax eloquently on the need for consolidation in certain industries. A lawyer might review laws which govern shareholder rights. A tax accountant might discuss pooling of interests and good will. And a sociologist would write about corporate cultures.

My own perspective does not come from any of these specialized areas, nor does it encompass industries outside that of pharmaceuticals. It is a result of being inside the process, of having lived through the excitement and despair of doing it.