Japan

JAPAN - Japan Investor Relations and Investor Support (J-IRIS), a subsidiary of Mizuho Securities, the investment banking arm of Mizuho Financial Group, has entered the institutional investor market.

JAPAN - Citigroup has formed a new custody and administration joint venture with Nikko Securities, after acquiring a 50% stake in the Nikko subsidiary, Nikko Trust and Banking.

JAPAN - The fortunes of pension schemes' Japanese equity investments may be reversed by small gains in the long term growth rate, according to Threadneedle Investments.

Japanese defined contribution (DC) plans will fail to create a gold mine of opportunity for foreign fund managers that have their hearts set on the country's asset management industry, according to consultants Cerulli Associates (CA).