Japan

UK/JAPAN - Neptune Investment Management is expanding its investment team and has appointed William May as head of Japanese equities, and Rob Burnett as investment analyst.  

JAPAN - Investment performance firm MSCI has started an index focussed solely on the Japanese market's Osaka Securities Exchange.

JAPAN/US - Mellon Financial Corporation has become the latest firm to seize on the Far East's promising pensions market following a 50/50 joint venture with Japan's Shinsei Bank.

UK/IRELAND/JAPAN - The investment case for Japan remains a strong one despite recent criticism, according to Edinburgh-based investment manager Martin Currie.

JAPAN - The Japanese equity market is showing signs of economic recovery after outperforming its global peers last month, according to one fund manager.

JAPAN - State Street has been appointed as transition manager for the YEN98.3bn (US$772m) Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) pension fund, and has already completed a portfolio transition utilising its agency-based transition management program.

JAPAN - Mellon Global Alternative Investments (MGAI) has received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland for the Mellon Nippon Absolute Fund, a Japanese hedge fund of funds.

JAPAN - Fund managers are predicting two more years of gloom for Japanese equities. But they are hopeful that current restructuring will bring with it long-term growth.

JAPAN - Invesco has appointed Ian Burden as chief investment officer for Invesco Japan. Reporting to Pacific investment head Anna Tong, Burden will be responsible for Invesco's Japanese and Pacific Basin products.

US/JAPAN - Independent fund manager Aetos Capital has strengthened its Asian capabilities with the appointment of Ronald Rawald as a managing director of the firm's Japanese acquisition and asset management unit.