NOTE-TO-EDITOR
Japan is on the brink of stepping onto the Islamic finance scene with positive developments all around, beginning with amendments to the country’s Asset Securitization Law and tax laws in November 2011, allowing for a more conducive environment for the issuances of Islamic capital market products including Sukuk. The recent 35% acquisition of Hong Leong Takaful by Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance as well as Sukuk issuances by big-name local players such as UMW Toyota has also signaled a growing interest by Japanese multinationals to diversify their funding sources via the Islamic finance market.
To add, the country possesses leading skills in technology and a robust manufacturing industry, a strong capital market, and a growing interest in terms of Islamic finance education amongst the country’s top universities to fulfill its growing human capital needs. A growing interest amongst GCC-based investors in the opportunities Japan has to offer in terms of infrastructure and real estate financing is also a feather in the country’s Islamic finance cap.
In recognition of these developments, Islamic Finance news (IFN) will host the Japan IFN Roadshow on the 21st June 2012 at Waseda University in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. This fully interactive event is designed to generate ideas, fresh views and concrete plans to exploit Islamic finance opportunities in the country.
The IFN Japan 2012 Roadshow will bring to light topics such as: Key developments and growth of the Islamic finance market in Japan; Islamic capital markets structures- Challenges and Opportunities; Islamic investment and asset management in Japan and Legal, Tax and Regulatory developments for cross-border transactions. These issues will be discussed via panelist sessions, enabling attendees to gain a well-rounded perspective from a diverse range of speakers.
DATE: 21st June 2012
TIME: 10am to 5pm
VENUE: Waseda University, Tokyo
Covering a wide spectrum of topics pertinent to issuers and investors, the IFN Japan Roadshow will see prominent industry players such as the executive director at MSCI Japan, Seiichiro Uchi; attorney-at-law at Nishimura & Asahi, So Saito; advisor- Renewable Energy at The Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Etsuaki Yoshida; head of Islamic banking at the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, Suri Hanim Mohamed; professor of Financial Economics at Waseda University, Toshiharu Kitamura; resident partner at Roosdiono & Partners Indonesia, Hanim Hamzah and CEO at Tokyo AIM, Tetsutaro Muraki, amongst those who will be addressing timely topics on the development of the Japanese Islamic capital markets. Delegates can interact via regular question and answer sessions as well as networking sessions.
REDmoney Group is the holding company behind Islamic Finance news, Islamic Finance training and Islamic Finance events – all leading products in their own right. In 2006, Islamic Finance events created and organized the IFN Asia Forum, which has become the world’s largest Islamic finance event.
Organized by the REDmoney Group, the IFN Roadshow is visiting 8 cities across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Following this event the roadshow will travel to Thailand (27th August) and Pakistan (4th September).
