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The article offers information on the trends in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity along with information on amendments of M&A-related laws in Japan. Hostile takeover attempts are stated to have been gaining popularity in Japan for several years. The acquisition of Bull-Dog Sauce Co. Ltd. (Bull-Dog) by Steel Partners Japan Strategic Fund (SPJ) is an instance of such an attempt. The number of management buyouts(MBOs) in Japan has increased with 33 in 2001, 67 in 2005 and 89 in 2007. Amendments were made to the three primary bodies of M&A-related law in Japan, namely the Companies Act, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law (FIEL) and the Anti-Monopoly Law (AML).