Reiji OginoMitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co.
After three years in the runner-up position, Reiji Ogino rises to third place. The Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. analyst covers 22 companies (the same as last year) and “has good relationships with the senior officers,” cheers one investor. Demand for natural gas is likely to grow in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster and concerns about carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired plants, Ogino explains. “Over the long term Japan will need more natural gas, owing to the electric power and nuclear power problems,” he says. Ogino is bullish on Tokyo Gas Co. In February he reiterated his outperform rating and raised his target price, from ¥400 to ¥430, citing the Tokyo-based utility’s strong growth prospects. The stock closed that month at ¥371. —Leslie Kramer
RUNNER(S)-UP
-Satoshi AbeDaiwa Securities Group
-Toshinori ItoUBS
-Yuka MatayoshiMorgan Stanley MUFG Securities Co.
-Shigeki MatsumotoNomura Securities Co.
-Norimasa ShinyaMizuho Securities Group