Japan's Nikkei slumped on Friday to its lowest level in a month as a new coronavirus variant found in South Africa raised an alarm, while the news that Beijing has asked Chinese hailing giant Didi to delist from New York also soured the mood.
Shareholders in Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho Ltd approved a "poison pill" measure on Friday aimed at blocking a takeover attempt by its top investor, setting up a court battle that will have sweeping implications for hostile bids in Japan.
The fate of future hostile takeover bids in Japan could rest on an upcoming court ruling that will decide whether the country's top maker of newspaper printing presses can move forward with a poison pill against an unwelcome shareholder.