Japan Stock Podcast

SCSK, one of Japan’s most quietly powerful IT giants, is being taken private by its parent company, Sumitomo Corporation, in a 2025 tender offer that will remove it from the stock market. Far from being a company in decline, SCSK has built a reputation for combining elite performance with humane work practices—its “5 PM office exodus” and 90%+ paid leave rate make it a pioneer in Japan’s “Work Style Reform.” Over a decade, it has also invested billions in long-term bets such as automotive software (partnering with Honda for the software-defined vehicle era), transitioned to scalable service-based business models that break free from headcount limits, and integrated deeply with network leader Net One Systems to dominate Japan’s cybersecurity and cloud markets. Sumitomo’s privatization move is designed to unleash SCSK’s full potential: enabling faster decisions, bolder R&D, and seamless integration across Sumitomo’s global businesses. The delisting isn’t an end—it’s a strategic rebirth, positioning SCSK as the digital engine driving the next chapter of Japan’s industrial transformation.