Since the COVID-19 pandemic, individual M&A, in which individuals buy existing businesses and become operators, has surged. The background is examined through examples involving the acquisition of a pharmacy and the expansion of a gym.
In recent years, individual M&A, in which individuals acquire shops or businesses, has increased due to a shortage of successors and the aging of business owners. Trends in M&A brokerage and expert analysis have prompted discussion of individual M&A as a “fourth career strategy” after employment, changing jobs and entrepreneurship.
Examples include an individual who bought a pharmacy for ¥20 million and was pushed to the verge of closing within six months, and a gym bought for ¥3 million that expanded to 4 locations in the surrounding area. The importance of due diligence and on-site investigations was also highlighted.
Overall, while many companies go bankrupt because they cannot find successors, some businesses put up for sale are profitable. Data also showed that in 2025, nearly half of the companies that closed, suspended operations or dissolved had been profitable in their most recent fiscal year, indicating differences in the realities of individual M&A.