Accounting Conservatism and Income Smoothing after the Japanese Sarbanes–Oxley Act

Abstract

Lobo and Zhou (2006) find an increase in accounting conservatism following the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002. In Japan, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of 2006, the so-called Japanese Sarbanes–Oxley Act (J-SOX), was implemented for fiscal years ending on or after March 31, 2009. Consistent with Lobo and Zhou (2006), we first investigate the change in accounting conservatism following J-SOX and demonstrate an increase in accounting conservatism in the post-J-SOX period. In particular, using the Basu (1997) measure of conservatism, we find that the degree to which firms incorporate losses more quickly than gains in their earnings is greater in the post-J-SOX period. We also find that firms report lower discretionary accruals in the post-J-SOX period. In addition to accounting conservatism, this study focuses on income smoothing and demonstrates a decrease in income smoothing following J-SOX. The evidence suggests that J-SOX may have altered managers’ accounting discretionary behavior.