Surging Share Prices in Japan Lead to a Wave of Stock Splits

Japan’s stock market has notched up record after record this year, but individual investors are having a harder time joining the party.

That’s because under exchange rules, stocks have to be purchased in lots of 100 shares. That means in the case of Advantest Corp., whose shares have more than doubled to ¥20,255, investors need a minimum of ¥2 million ($13,000) to buy into the company.