Tokyo Stock Exchange to Extend Trading Hours by 30 Minutes Starting Next Month on the 5th

In October 2020, when a system failure occurred at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan, halting trading of all stock items, a cameraman is capturing the in-house electronic board where the market price information turned blank. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan announced through local public broadcaster NHK on the 7th that it will extend its trading closing time by 30 minutes, from the current 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM, starting next month on the 5th.

This extension of the closing time by the Tokyo Stock Exchange is the first in 70 years since it was moved from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in 1954.

The Nikkei pointed out, "The starting point for this extension was the large-scale system failure that occurred on October 1, 2020," adding, "The Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Financial Services Agency, which have been advocating for extended hours to expand investors' trading opportunities, have realized their long-cherished goal."

Meanwhile, NHK reported that the Tokyo Stock Exchange is requesting listed companies to advance their earnings announcement times. It is known that many listed companies in Japan often make related announcements after 3:00 PM to prevent sudden impacts on their stock prices.