Japan

JAPAN - The average funding ratio for Japanese corporate pension plans has risen 31% in the last three years on the back of an improving economy and a rebound in domestic equity markets.

ASIA - AXA Real Estate Investment Managers (AXA REIM) has opened an office in Tokyo, to be headed up by former Babcock & Brown director Tomiji Hasegawa.

JAPAN - Japanese institutional investors remain concerned about China's "poor" corporate governance and accounting standards, which will be key in determining their investment exposure in the country, said Joji Maki, head of Japanese equities at Baring...

ASIA - Former Fidelity director James Blair has joined Barclays Global Investors (BGI) as head of official institutions Asia ex Japan.

JAPAN - Commodities look set to recieve billions of dollars worth of investment from Japanese institutional investors, despite sky-high prices and market uncertainty.

JAPAN - The All Japan Liquor Merchants Association is suing Credit Suisse and other parties for Y16bn ($136m) claiming it incurred severe losses after not being briefed on the risks of its pension fund making investments in foreign bonds.

JAPAN - Aberdeen Asset Management will open an office in Tokyo in September to take advantage of what it sees as a bouyant market with potential both on the investment and institutional client side.

JAPAN - Former Mizuho Pension Research Institute chairman, Shoji Yamada, has joined North Trust Global Investments (NTGI) as executive advisor - part of the firm's expansion of its Japan team.

JAPAN - Fidelity is on the verge of making a string of new hires to enhance its client relationship capabilities in the Japanese defined benefit pensions market, at a time when many managers are scaling down their efforts in this segment.

JAPAN - The world's biggest pension fund, Japan's JPY100trn (US$871bn) Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), is under pressure to diversify its portfolio outside of equities and bonds.