On March 3, 2025, the Yomiuri Shimbun announced the launch of the Yomiuri Stock Index, colloquially known as "Yomiuri 333" (読売333). This innovative stock index will prominently feature shares from 333 selected Japanese companies, with calculations set to begin on March 24, 2025. The Yomiuri 333 is engineered to reflect fluctuations within Japan's stock market and aims to stimulate investment opportunities, thereby facilitating the economic empowerment of citizens.
The introduction of the Yomiuri 333 is seen as part of Japan's broader initiative to promote public investment. The index will be constructed from the 333 companies ranked by their trading volume within the top 500 stocks listed on Japan's exchanges. By emphasizing shares of companies with substantial free-floating market capitalization, the Yomiuri Stock Index seeks to mitigate the influence of dominant corporations on market trends.
Among the selected companies are notable names including Ajinomoto, Kobe Steel, and Yaskawa Electric, illustrating the index's commitment to both major corporations and growth potential companies from regions outside metropolitan Tokyo. Remarkably, nearly 40% of the chosen companies have their headquarters outside Tokyo, showcasing the index's inclusivity by highlighting regional enterprises.
The Yomiuri 333 will incorporate shares from various sectors, ensuring balanced representation without focusing solely on any specific industry. The stocks selected for the index will have their values equally weighted, allowing for reliable average movements reflective of the overall stock market without being swayed by individual shares’ performances. This even-weighted approach is regarded as its most distinctive feature.
Calculations for the Yomiuri Stock Index will be managed by Nomura Holdings’ subsidiary, Nomura Fiduciary Research & Consulting. The index will start with a base value of 10,000 from November 1985, which now stands at around 34,000 yen.
To coincide with the launch, Yomiuri Shimbun will host a blogger meeting on March 14, 2025, at 7 PM at their Tokyo headquarters. The event will provide insights about the index’s calculation methodology and the underlying objectives, giving investment enthusiasts the opportunity to ask questions. Participation is free.
The development of the Yomiuri 333 is part of efforts to create new financial products aligned with the index, such as investment trusts and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), which are expected to be available for sale through major brokerage firms before the end of March. With these products, the index seeks to progressively encourage investments and contribute to the formation of personal wealth among the Japanese populace, pointing toward what is termed as the “economic virtuous circle.”
By providing stakeholders with a clearer picture of market movements and reflecting the multifaceted nature of Japan's economy, the Yomiuri 333 aims to be more than just another stock index; it looks to establish itself as an indicator of economic health and growth potential.