EssilorLuxottica becomes Nikon’s top shareholder with green light to hike to 20%

TOKYO: French-Italian eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica has secured permission to raise its stake in Japan’s Nikon to as much as 20% under Japan’s Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, Nikon said on Monday.

The maker of Ray-Ban sunglasses has also raised its holding in Nikon to 10.8% from 9.6% to become the largest shareholder, Nikon said in a release.

Nikon makes cameras, lenses and lithography equipment used in chipmaking. The company classifies itself as “core” to national security in a Japanese finance ministry list.