Through Acquisition, Japan's Buy Side Grows its Presence Globally

Compared with its European and North American counterparts, the Japanese buy side is relatively unsophisticated, if not nascent. While Japan has a lot of ground to cover to catch up to those more established markets, steady changes signal growth potential for these buy-side players.

In recent years some of the largest asset managers in Japan have expanded their global reach with splashy acquisitions, says Kazumitsu Yokokawa, division manager of financial services and technology at Tokyo-based