“This book is essential reading for anyone interested in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. It offers exclusive insights into Japanese overseas acquisitions obtained from extensive research into over 100 actual outbound transactions. The author explores why many of these deals have failed and what works for success. Matsumoto’s innovative approach to analyzing post-acquisition management strategy not only contributes to academic achievement, but will also assist CEOs who are pursing overseas acquisitions.” — Kazumasa Iwata, Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo, President, Japan Center for Economic Research and Former Deputy Governor, the Bank of Japan This book reviews the past 116 Japanese outbound acquisitions in three decades and determines success and failure, with the goal of explaining what works. Dr. Matsumoto emphasizes that such acquisitions are part of a long-term strategy and should not be judged based short-term gains and losses, especially short-term changes in company stock prices. The book also highlights common pitfalls hidden within the expected benefits of these overseas acquisitions. Dr. Matsumoto provides valuable insights for executives, corporate managers working on strategy, finance and overseas development, practitioners, researchers and MBA students trying to succeed in cross border merger and acquisitions using 16 case studies and careful investigation. Shigeru Matsumoto, Professor, Graduate School of Management, Kyoto University, earned his Ph.D. from Kobe University. For his doctoral dissertation, he conducted an in-depth study of Japanese cross-border M&A. He also has an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, which he attended on the US Fulbright Program. He has 20 years’ of experience in investment banking and advisory at global institutions, including HSBC (The Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corp.), Macquarie Capital, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He has served as an advisor on over 50 Japan-related cross-border M&A transactions in 20 countries, including the US, the UK, France, China, and Vietnam. In 2015, he won the 9th Grand Prize at the Mergers & Acquisition Forum for his recent publication on Japanese cross-border acquisitions.