Asia

JAPAN- Japan's Government Pensions Investment Fund (GPIF) saw a Y5.7trn (US$58.4bn) decline in assets in the fourth quarter of 2008 on the back of weak equity returns.

ASIA - Morgan Stanley has expanded its transition management team as it looks to grow its Asian market presence.

INDIA - India's New Pension System (NPS), to be opened to the public on 1 April 2009, has set out its proposed investment policy and member options for the first time.

Lynn Strongin-Dodds explores what the future holds for real estate investment trusts (REITs) in light of the current economic crisis

JAPAN - Japanese defined benefit (DB) pension funds are struggling to preserve strong funding ratios, despite having entered the third quarter of 2008 in a relatively strong position, a Greenwich Associates' study has found.

ASIA-PACIFIC - The pension systems in many Asian countries need swift reforms to be viable in the future, a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says.

JAPAN - A move by the Japanese government to allow employees to match employer contributions in defined contribution (DC) plans will accelerate the growth of the retirement savings vehicles, according to Towers Perrin.

JAPAN - Nissan MotorCo has established a global governance structure to manage its pension plan exposure around the world.

JAPAN - Tokio Marine Asset Management (TMAM) and Governance for Owners (GO) have launched the Japan Engagement Consortium (JEC), which will engage on behalf of institutional shareholders with Japanese companies to improve long term returns.

SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's National Pension Service has agreed to sell $1.1bn in US treasuries to the Bank of Korea, a central bank official said.