12. On July 29, 2010, Panasonic Corporation announced that its board of directors resolved to file a Shelf Registration Statement in Japan for offerings of shares of common stock. The planned issuance period was within one year of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement (i.e., from August 12, 2010 to August 2011) for a planned amount of issues of up to ¥ 500 billion. The common stock would be issued via a public offering in Japan, and the proceeds would be used to repay short-term interest-bearing debt. Why would the board of directors want to use a shelf registration?