We are pleased to announce that JPX Market Innovation & Research, Inc. (JPXI) is ready to provide a beta (test) version of customized data that offers a comprehensive overview of the skills held by directors and auditors across listed companies (hereinafter referred to as “sample data”). By utilizing generative AI, we have categorized the skill information extracted from the skills matrices and reasons for appointment found in listed companies’ convocation notices for general shareholders meetings. This process has enabled us to classify these skills into eight distinct categories(Note1) and create mappings for each director and auditor.
As part of our ongoing efforts to refine this data for future formal service offerings, we are now offering free access to sample data to those who are willing to assist with feedback and insights.
In accordance with Supplementary Principle 4.11.1(Note2) of the Corporate Governance Code, an increasing number of companies have been identifying and disclosing the skills that their boards of directors should possess. A “skills matrix” is a common method for disclosing these combinations of skills and is typically included in convocation notices of general shareholders meetings, integrated reports, and other documents.
However, the skills matrices vary in skill classification and display formats across companies, and the frequent use of PDF format for disclosure makes compilation and analysis challenging.
Utilizing our data would facilitate easier analysis of the skills held by each director and auditor across listed companies. Investors may use this information as a valuable reference when exercising voting rights, while listed companies may find it beneficial for understanding industry trends in board composition and identifying potential candidates for directors, among other purposes. JPXI invites you to join us in reviewing the sample data and share your thoughts on specific aspects, such as the data specifications and classification methods.
For further details on the sample data and application procedures, please refer to the following information.
- Management and Corporate Strategy/Finance, Accounting and Business Administration/Legal and Risk Management/Human Resources and Talent Development/IT and Digital/International and Global Affairs/Sustainability and ESG/Sales and Marketing
- The board should identify the skills, etc. that it should have in light of its managing strategies, and have a view on the appropriate balance between knowledge, experience and skills of the board as a whole, and also on diversity and appropriate board size. Consistent with its view, the board should establish policies and procedures for nominating directors and disclose them along with the combination of skills, etc. that each director possesses in an appropriate form according to the business environment and business characteristics, etc., such as what is known as a "skills matrix.” When doing so, independent director(s) with management experience in other companies should be included.
(Reference) Sample of a skills matrix in a company disclosure (as source for our data)
Sample Data Details
| item |
detail |
| Data coverage period |
- Convocation notices of general shareholders meeting issued between July 13, 2023, and July 12, 2024, with the most recent notice if a company has issued multiple notices during this period.
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| Target companies |
- Companies listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange
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| Target positions |
- board-member directors and auditors (Note)
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| Files and data to be provided |
- List of skills held by directors and auditors of listed companies
- List of links to convocation notices of general shareholders meetings, as source of our data by way of generative AI (Note) Data will be provided in Japanese only.
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| Other considerations and disclaimers |
- The information may be instances where skill information is not included in the convocation notices of general shareholders meetings, leading to cases where our data cannot be accurately extracted.
- This data is created using generative AI. While a certain degree of accuracy has been confirmed, due to the nature of generative AI, there may be variability in the precision of AI-generated compilation, and some inaccurate information may be included.
- Therefore, please kindly note that the accuracy of our data is not guaranteed.
- Skills are plotted and mapped uniformly for each director based on JPXI's unique criteria, including appointment reasons, not just skills matrices. Thus, the information in our data may not completely match the original skills matrices information disclosed by listed companies.
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(Note)
- ･Although the Supplementary Principles do not require companies to disclose the skills of their auditors, there are cases where auditor skills are identified and disclosed, so they are similarly mapped. Nevertheless, the term of office for auditors under the Companies Act is typically four years, meaning they may not be included in appointment proposals as often as directors, whose term is usually two years. As a result, there may be less information available about auditors than directors.
Application Procedure
- Sample data can be obtained from the link below (Japanese only).
| Sample Data of Director and Auditor Skill Information |
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- If you wish to receive the full version of the sample data (for approximately 3,700 companies), you must apply through the web form by agreeing to the "Terms and Conditions for Trial Data Provided by JPX Market Innovation & Research, Inc." prepared by JPXI.
- Sample data is typically sent via email within two to three business days from the application date (a download link for the sample data will be sent via e-mail).
- The sample data will remain accessible for two months from your receipt. When the accessible period expires, please stop using the data and delete it.
- As mentioned above, we provide access to this sample data only to those who are willing to assist with feedback and insights to help us improve our data and services. To this end, we will contact the data recipients in due course. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
