Mirae Asset to reenter Japan with acquisition of Sanko Securities
The headquarters of Mirae Asset Group, the parent company of Mirae Asset Securities, in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Mirae Asset Securities
A decade after it exited the country, Mirae Asset Securities is set to reenter Japan through its acquisition of local brokerage Sanko Securities, as it looks to expand its presence in a market where retail investment is gaining momentum, the company said Thursday.
The company said its board approved a plan to purchase 100 percent of the stakes in Sanko Securities through its U.S. affiliate, Mirae Asset Securities Holdings. The deal is valued at an estimated 42.6 billion won ($35.62 million), with the final price to be determined at closing after regulatory approvals and other conditions are met.
Mirae Asset will inject a total of 100.6 billion won into its U.S. affiliate to fund the acquisition and subsequent business expansion in Japan.
Park Hyeon-joo, chairman and founder of Mirae Asset Financial Group / Yonhap
Sanko, which operates under Okasan Securities Group, specializes in proprietary trading — buying and selling stocks, bonds and other securities with its own capital to generate returns. It posted a net profit of roughly 400 million won and net assets of 39.1 billion won for the fiscal year ended March 2026, the company said.
The acquisition will give Mirae Asset a foothold in the country’s securities market as it looks to build on Sanko’s existing trading operations, broaden its distribution of financial products and eventually establish a full-fledged retail brokerage business in Japan.
“This marks an important step toward establishing a foothold in Japan and expanding our global business. We will prepare for the market in line with local conditions and regulations, build on Sanko Securities’ existing operations and work toward launching a retail business in the future,” a company official said.
Its move marks a return to Japan 10 years after Mirae Asset Daewoo, the brokerage’s predecessor, withdrew from the market in 2016.
The renewed push comes as the nation’s investment landscape changes.
Years of sluggish growth and ultralow interest rates, alongside tighter international financial regulations, had made it a challenging market for foreign financial firms. But the 2024 expansion of the Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA) program, which offers tax advantages for investments, has encouraged more individuals to put their money into stocks and funds.
The growing appetite for investment, coupled with Japanese companies’ financing and M&A needs, is creating openings for overseas firms seeking a foothold in the market. Smaller domestic brokerages grappling with succession issues and an aging customer base may also offer potential acquisition targets.