Some individuals, known as sokaiya (総会屋), purchase minor holdings in companies, and then extort money from the management by threatening to disrupt shareholder meetings with accusations of lewd behavior, questioning business judgment, etc.
Sokaiya activities have been criminalized under the Company Law. The maximum penalties are (Article 970):
• 5 years in prison and/or ¥5,000,000 fine for sokaiya
• 3 years in prison or ¥3,000,000 fine for executives or employees who pay a sokaiya