The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Tuesday it has decided to transfer all foreign issues, which are currently traded separately from Japanese issues, to the first section or second section of the TSE.
At present, 32 foreign issues are traded separately on what is commonly called the foreign section.
Japanese companies are traded on the first section or second section, but TSE rules have prohibited foreign stocks from trading on these sections.
The rules have discouraged investors from trading in foreign issues and foreign companies from listing their shares on the TSE, TSE officials said.
The TSE said the measure will be implemented during the current fiscal year.
As many as 127 foreign issues were listed on the bourse in 1991, but sluggish trade has driven many of them away from the TSE, according to the officials.