Benihana gets OK to issue new sharesDespite objections from the family of Benihana founder Rocki Aoki, shareholders of the Japanese-themed restaurant

Despite objections from the family of Benihana founder Rocki Aoki, shareholders of the Japanese-themed restaurant company Monday gave management the right to issue 12.5 million new shares of stock.

Shareholders and management of the Miami-based company had feuded over a proposed merger that will allow the issuance of new shares.

Aoki's children and other shareholders opposed the merger plans because they said it would further dilute their ownership stake.

At a Monday meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Aoki relatives raised questions about why the merger would dilute shareholder value for everyone except BFC Financial, the Fort Lauderdale holding company that controls the second largest stake in Benihana. BFC is headed by Alan Levan and it controls BankAtlantic.

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