Japan PM to urge company boards to open up in governance push as resolve tested

TOKYO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to outline plans to improve corporate governance as part of an updated economic strategy next month, aiming to overturn Japan's reputation for neglecting shareholders and salvage his reform credentials.

The draft plans, which face resistance from Japan's largest business lobby, would push companies to appoint more outside directors as part of a package aimed in part at winning back overseas investors who have turned sceptical of Abe's ability to push through politically sensitive reforms on labour and trade.