Japan

Morgan Stanley’s investment banking credentials in the US and in Asia are rock solid. The same goes for its franchise in Japan, where it has a unique joint venture with MUFG.

For an example of a joint venture partnership that has been effective, resilient and performed well, one need only look at the tie-up between US bank Morgan Stanley and Japan’s MUFG.

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), the parent of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC), is regarded by many observers as the best run of the three mega-banking groups in Japan. In the past year, it proved its worth time and again, making SMBC Asiamoney’s choice for best domestic bank in Japan for 2021.

The 32nd annual Asiamoney Brokers Poll is a Vox Populi poll that identifies the leading brokerages for equities research, sales and trading in Asia. Voters are institutional investors who represent fund management firms, wealth managers, hedge funds, pension funds, and insurance companies that trade in Asia.

Four high-profile businesswomen in Japan are focusing on bringing big changes to the country’s ESG market.

Consolidation of its regional banks could provide a solution for some of the country’s biggest problems. Can the new prime minister pull this off?

Japan still lags much of the world it comes to gender equality. But bankers are leading the change.

When Alberto Tamura became the CEO of Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities in April 2019, he made the obligatory “we’re optimistic about Japan” comment that all new chiefs make. In 2020, though, he proved not just why he’s bullish, but how the banking giant aims to navigate the world’s third-largest economy.