Shortage of Successors at Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Growing M&A Demand
First written in FY2023. 3 of 10 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: 2026-10-05.
1 other company's latest entry also says "Other".
- FY2026-H1RestatedAnnual report
「Business succession M&A remains active in the mid-sized and SME M&A market as the percentage of companies without successors remains high, in order to prevent the dissipation of valuable management resources.」
The company continues to recognise that business succession M&A is active in a market where the percentage of companies without successors remains high. - FY2025Update to market statistics and additional basis for demandAnnual report
「The published survey results showed that the nationwide percentage of companies without successors was 50.1%.」
The percentage of companies without successors was updated from the previous 52.1% to 50.1%. Statistics providing context for M&A demand were also added, including 47,078 companies that ceased operations or dissolved from January to August 2025, a 49.6% share of profitable companies and 2,132 completed business succession transactions. - FY2025-H1Additional basis for market demandAnnual report
「In 2023, approximately half of the roughly 50,000 companies that ceased operations or dissolved were profitable. M&A has become an important means of preventing the dissipation of these valuable management resources and contributing to the sustainable growth of the Japanese economy. Although a Teikoku Databank survey showed that the percentage of companies without successors reached a record low of 52.1%, the number of bankruptcies caused by difficulties in finding successors has remained high, and the need for business succession through M&A remains substantial.」
In addition to the existing market view that the percentage of companies without successors was 52.1%, the scale of companies that ceased operations or dissolved, the percentage of profitable companies and the high level of bankruptcies caused by difficulties in finding successors were added as bases for demand. - FY2024Update to market and successor-availability statisticsAnnual report
「SMEs and small businesses are estimated to account for more than 99.7% of all businesses in Japan. According to the National Survey of Trends in the "Percentage of Companies Without Successors" (2024) conducted by Teikoku Databank, the published survey results showed that the nationwide percentage of companies without successors was 52.1%.」
SMEs and small businesses were reported to account for more than 99.7% of all businesses, while the percentage of companies without successors was updated from 53.9% to 52.1%. The data also showed 2,023 completed business succession transactions and 23,722 companies seeking advice in fiscal 2023, indicating a gap between potential market demand and actual results. - FY2024-Q2Update to statistics on the percentage of companies without successorsAnnual report
「According to the National Survey of Trends in the Percentage of Companies Without Successors (November 2023) conducted by Teikoku Databank, the published survey results showed that the nationwide percentage of business owners without successors was 53.9%. This was an improvement from 57.21% in the 2022 survey, but remained at a high level.」
The percentage of companies without successors was updated from 57.21% to 53.9%, while the structural assessment that the level remained high was retained. - FY2024-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Japan's SME M&A market continues to expand, driven by the ageing of business owners, the increase in companies without successors and government policies promoting business succession through M&A.」
The company continues to recognise that the M&A market is expanding against a backdrop of ageing business owners, a lack of successors and government policy. - FY2023First statedAnnual report
「SMEs and small businesses are estimated to account for more than 99% of all businesses in Japan. According to the National Survey of Companies Without Successors (2022) conducted by Teikoku Databank, the published survey results showed that the nationwide percentage of companies without successors was 57.2%.」
The number of SMEs and the percentage of companies without successors are presented as the basis for structural demand in the business succession M&A market.