Standards for the Independence of Outside Directors/Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members

Standards for the Independence of Outside Directors/Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members (Summary)

In order to objectively judge the independence of Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members, the Company has established its own "Standards for the Independence of Outside Directors/Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members." These standards were developed by reference to other standards for independence established by financial instrument exchanges and organizations advising the exercise of voting rights, including the "Securities Listing Regulations" set forth by the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It has been confirmed that the Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members of the Company are not categorized under any of the following, and have been elected as independent directors who do not pose any risk of conflict of interest with the Company's general shareholders.

Relationships with Shareholders

  • A director, audit & supervisory board member, accounting advisor, executive officer, operating officer, or employee of any of the major shareholders (holding 10% or more) of the Company

  • An individual who in the past five (5) years has been an officer or employee of any of the current major shareholders of the Company

  • An individual who is a director, accounting advisor, executive officer, operating officer or employee of a company for which the Company is a major shareholder

Relationship with Corporate Clients

  • An individual of whom the Company or one of its current subsidiaries is a major corporate client (accounting for 2% or more of the previous year's consolidated gross revenue)

  • An individual of whom the Company or one of its current subsidiaries has been a client in the last three (3) years

  • An individual who is a major client of the Company, or who has been a major client of the company in the last three (3) years

Relationships of Financial Interest

An individual who is a current director, accounting advisor, executive officer, operating officer or employee of a company or of one of its parent or subsidiary companies that employs a director or audit & supervisory board member from the Company or one of the Company's current subsidiaries.

Providers of Specialized Services

  • An individual who is an employee, partner, or working staff member of a certified public accountant or auditing firm that is an accounting auditor or accounting advisor of the Company or of one of its current subsidiaries.

  • An individual not fulfilling any of the above criteria, but who is a certified public accountant, tax accountant, attorney, or other kind of consultant, and who, apart from director remuneration, has received from the Company or one of its current subsidiaries money or other property benefits averaging ¥10 million or more annually in the last three (3) years.

Close Relatives

  • A relative within two (2) degrees of kinship of, or living together with, an executive director, operating officer, major shareholder, major client, or an officer of a major creditor of the Company or of one of its current subsidiaries.

  • An individual who has a relative within two (2) degrees of kinship, or a relative living together with the individual, who is an employee or partner of an accounting auditing firm of the Company or one of its current subsidiaries.

  • An individual who has a relative within two (2) degrees of kinship, or a relative living together with the individual, who is an attorney or other kind of consultant who, apart from director remuneration, has received from the Company or one of its current subsidiaries money or property benefits averaging ¥10 million or more annually for the last three (3) years.

  • An individual who has a relative within two (2) degrees of kinship, or a relative living together with the individual, who is a director, audit & supervisory board member, accounting advisor, executive officer, or corporate officer of a company that employs a director or audit & supervisory board member from the Company or one of the Company's current subsidiaries.

Note: The above content is a general overview of the Company's "Standards for the Independence of Outside Directors/Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members," and is not an exact statement of the relevant bylaws, Companies Act, or other regulations.