The Tokyo Stock Exchange is a stock corporation that provides an Exchange Securities Market under authorisation of the Prime Minister.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange was formerly a membership organisation. However, a revision of the Securities and Exchange Law allowed a stock exchange to transform its organisational structure into a stock corporation so, on November 1st 2001, the Stock Exchange became a stock corporation.

The management of the Exchange Securities Market is required to be a highly public matter. Therefore, the management aims are stipulated in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's constitution as, "In order to contribute towards the protection of the public interest and investors, the trading of securities must be carried out in a fair and efficient manner." It is also clearly stated in the constitution that the TSE shall continue to maintain a high level of publicity concerning its management, even after the transformation into a stock corporation.