TOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - A Singapore-based activist fund is asking four Japanese companies through shareholder resolutions to make their board members regularly available for one-on-one meetings with large investors.

The rare proposal by Global ESG Strategy, a fund managed by Swiss-Asia Financial Services (SAFS), would give investors a direct line to boards as the country's corporate governance reform has caused firms to open up more communication with shareholders.

The shareholder resolutions were sent to industrial components supplier Nippo, cram schools operator With us, conveyors maker NC Holdings and Tokyo Cosmos Electric, SAFS' chief investment officer Yasuto Monden, told Reuters.

Nippo and NC declined to comment. With us and Tokyo Cosmos said no one was available to comment.

Monden said many Japanese companies now agree to make available certain board members such as CEO and CFO for individual meetings, but it's still rare to make all of their board members available.

"I believe individual meetings with shareholders are effective in creating a sense of urgency at the board," he said. "It's hugely important for many board members to talk directly with shareholders and hear their views."

The proposals call for rules requiring board members to meet individually if requested by shareholders with 3% or more voting rights, at least annually for external directors and quarterly for other directors.

Global ESG Strategy owns 9.9% of Nippo, 17.5% of With us 5.5% of NC and 14.7% of Tokyo Cosmos Electric, in terms of voting rights.

Japanese regulators see dialogue with shareholders as a key driver for long-term growth of companies, calling them to engage in constructive talks with shareholders even outside their annual shareholder meetings.

"During such dialogue, senior management and directors, including outside directors, should listen to the views of shareholders and pay due attention to their interests and concerns," Japan's corporate governance code says.

There is a lot of room for changes at Japanese companies that could be triggered by shareholder activism, Monden said. "And benefits of those would be shared with other shareholders," he added. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)