Japan Active Engagement​

Japan is the world’s third largest economy and its corporate landscape is undergoing dramatic change. Through our joint venture with Tokyo-based Nissay Asset Management (NAM), we invest in a small number of select Japanese companies that are not valued to their full potential due to factors we see as rectifiable. We then engage in order to act as an agent for the change required to unlock value.

A focus on fundamentally sound companies

The team will only invest when it has identified significant upside potential through active change management. All opportunities that we pursue must be in robust businesses with enduring characteristics.

Constructive shareholder engagement

We work diplomatically and sensitively with the boards of the companies we have invested in. We avoid more aggressive activist tactics, believing that a collaborative approach is a better route towards improved shareholder returns.

Japan – where’s the dynamism?

Despite a long period of economic decline, Japan retains some formidable strengths and world-beating excellence can still be found among its largest companies. In this report, we take a look at where the best medium and longer-term investment opportunities in Japanese equities may be found.


Meet the team

Yasuaki Kinoshita

Yasuaki has been responsible for the strategy as lead Portfolio Manager since March 2008 and also sits on the Investment Committee.

Michael Connors

Mike acts as Senior Portfolio Advisor. He has been an Advisor to the strategy since 2005 bringing over 40 years of experience to the team.

In the Japan Active Engagement team's latest insight, they explore two developments that have piqued the interest of the dedicated Japan-watcher and more dedicated global asset allocator.

Is Japan back in fashion? Nicola Takada-wood, Redwheel portfolio manager, discusses why she thinks it is.

In his second instalment, Michael Connors explores Japan’s emergence post-Covid and what the future might hold.

No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee returns or eliminate risks in any market environment