Corporate Social Disclosure Practices in Japanese Corporations: The Case of Meiko Electronics

Abstract

Japan is regarded for a high degree of accuracy in corporate social disclosure (CSD) practices among its corporations. However, concerns have been raised about the practices of Japanese companies in the electronics industry, particularly among suppliers of Apple Inc. This chapter aims at analyzing CSD practices in Japan by looking at a Japanese corporation that has operations in China — Meiko Electronics Company Limited. This company was selected since some environmental problems at Meiko have been investigated. This chapter uses content analysis to compare the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental practices of the company (disclosed in Meiko’s CSR reports and website) with the perceptions of stakeholders on these practices. Public data in three languages, Chinese, English and Japanese, are analyzed and interpreted. The chapter aims to analyze the factors that influence a Japanese corporation’s CSR policies and decisions on disclosure, specifically on environmental issues. The chapter also addresses the following questions: How and in what ways do stakeholders influence the company’s CSR practices and disclosure? Are there any gaps between Meiko’s CSR disclosures and the perceptions of its stakeholders on social and environmental matters? Does Meiko’s CSD comply with CSR reporting standards?