Posted on July 1st, 2009 in Akio, Akio Toyoda, Aso, Bloomberg, Brandes, Chrysler Group, Chrysler LLC, Japan, Katsuaki Watanabe, Koito, Koito Manufacturing, Nagoya, Nipponkoa, Nipponkoa Insurance, Nomura, Nomura Securities, Rohm, Shareholder revolt, Shoichiro Toyoda, T. Boone Pickens, Taro Aso, Toyoda, Toyota, Watanabe, samurai Akio, Akio Toyoda, Aso, Bloomberg, Brandes, Chrysler Group, Chrysler LLC, Japan, Katsuaki Watanabe, Koito, Koito Manufacturing, Nagoya, Nipponkoa, Nipponkoa Insurance, Nomura, Nomura Securities, Rohm, samurai, Shareholder revolt, Shoichiro Toyoda, T. Boone Pickens, Taro Aso, Toyoda, Toyota, Watanabe

The normally reticent Japanese investors – long accustomed, or even resigned, to public subtlety and backroom wheeling and dealing – are becoming fed up with this system and are becoming quite brazen in their protests. And very direct, as well.

According to a Nomura Securities Co. Ltd. research report cited here by several news media outlets, more than 70% of individual shareholders intend to vote against management in upcoming elections and on specific issues. Normally, shareholder votes are essentially “rubber-stamp” affairs, pretty much signing off on whatever management wants, so this is an earth-shattering change.