May 14, 2021
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.
(Securities Code: 8316)
Notice regarding Partial Amendments to Articles of Incorporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) hereby announces that SMFG’s board of directors resolved at a meeting held today that a proposal concerning partial amendments to SMFG’s Articles of Incorporation shall be made at the 19th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held on June 29, 2021, as follows:
1. Purpose of Amendments
Upon enactment of the “Bill for Partially Amending the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act and other related acts” (Cabinet Bill No. 23 submitted to the 204th Diet), listed companies will, by adding relevant provisions to their articles of incorporation, be able to hold a general meeting of shareholders without designating a place for the meeting (so called “virtual-only shareholders meetings,” i.e., general meetings without setting up a physical venue, involving attendance by directors, shareholders, etc. by using the Internet and other means), subject to certain requirements based on factors including consideration for the protection of shareholders’ interests. SMFG believes that it is beneficial to shareholders to diversify options for the manner of holding a general meeting in consideration of potential large-scale disasters, including pandemics and natural disasters, and the progress in digitalization of society, among other factors. As such, SMFG intends to amend its Articles of Incorporation for the purpose of enabling SMFG to hold its general meeting of shareholders without designating a place for the meeting (including a shareholders’ meeting of a particular class of shares).
If this proposal is approved, the proposed amendments shall be effective, subject to the confirmation by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as the Minister of Justice regarding the legitimacy of instituting SMFG’s general meeting of shareholders without the designation of its place, pursuant to the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act as amended.
If SMFG expects certain difficulty in submitting this proposal for the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation in view of the progress in the deliberation at the Diet regarding the “Bill for Partially Amending the Industrial Competitiveness Enhancement Act and other related acts”, this proposal shall be withdrawn.
2. Details of Amendments
Existing Articles of Incorporation and the proposed amendments are set forth in the attached Exhibit.
3. Schedule
Scheduled date of the General Meeting of Shareholders for the proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation: June 29, 2021
Scheduled effective date of the proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation: June 29, 2021