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Executive Summary

Optimizing asset allocation, managing risks and fortifying portfolios against market volatility are the top priorities for Japanese Pensions and E&Fs. Review key issues facing institutional investors, funding ratio of Japanese defined benefit plans, return expectations, current asset allocation, expected asset mix shifts over the next three years, product hiring expectations, factors influencing manager selection decisions, attributes of strategic partners, investment consultant usage and top providers, usage of ETFs, ESG and DEI considerations, average management fees, and more.

Methodology

This research is based on personal interviews conducted from April through October 2024 with 254 of the largest corporate pension funds, public pension funds, financial institutions, and endowments & foundations in Japan. Total reported fund assets were ¥949 trillion. Senior fund professionals provided quantitative and qualitative evaluations of their investment managers, assessments of those managers soliciting their business, and detailed information on important market trends.