Best of the Best
Country/Region Awards: Japan
Showcase your Leadership in Japan
The Best of the Best Country/Region Awards recognise exceptional organisations that have demonstrated outstanding performance and leadership within Japan. Showcase your firm’s regional expertise and be celebrated as a leader in Japan.
ETF categories (e.g. ETF Manager of the Year, Best New ETF, ETF Index Provider of the Year) are now part of our dedicated AAM ETF Awards 2026, revived after nearly a decade! Submissions open December 15th 2025.
Categories
Submit entries for one or more of the following categories:
CEO of the Year
Recognises the outstanding CEO of a Japanese asset management firm.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain how your firm has navigated the challenging market conditions of the past year.
- Demonstrate your leadership in guiding the firm through these challenges, and discuss your firm’s performance, assets under management, and any new initiatives, if any, implemented.
CIO of the Year
Honours the top chief investment officer in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Demonstrate your outstanding achievements as a chief investment officer at the country level for a pension fund or fund management company.
- Explain how you have successfully navigated market conditions, mitigated risks, and positioned your portfolios for future market cycles.
- Provide supporting data on the portfolios you manage, the size of your investment team, your investment performance, and new initiatives implemented, if any.
Pensions Leader of the Year - NEW
Recognises the individual demonstrating the most outstanding leadership and impact within Japan’s pensions industry.
Submission Guidelines
- Outline your significant achievements and contributions to the pensions market within Japan over the past 1-3 years.
- Highlight your strategic vision and successful implementation of key initiatives for your firm within the pensions sector.
- Describe your leadership approach, including team management and engagement with clients or stakeholders.
- Detail any innovative solutions, new initiatives, or significant contributions you have made to advance the country’s pensions landscape.
- Provide evidence of your influence and positive impact on the industry (e.g. policy contributions, thought leadership, successful business growth).
Best Equity Manager
Honours the most successful equity manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the ongoing global macro challenges, such as rising interest rates and inflation, explain how your domestic equity strategies have performed over the past year.
- Highlight your successes and achievements up to November 30, 2025.
- Provide the size of your equity assets under management for the last two years.
Best ESG Engagement Initiative
Recognises the most effective ESG engagement activities undertaken by a Japanese asset manager.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the growing adoption of ESG strategies and the importance of stewardship, institutional investors play a crucial role in enhancing corporate governance. Explain your firm’s stewardship and engagement practices, including reporting on voting activities and market impact at the country level.
- Detail the structure of your ESG team and the number of company engagements in the past 12 months at the country level and the outcomes.
- Provide information on the outcomes of these engagements up to November 30, 2025.
Best ESG Index Provider
Honours the leading ESG index provider in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the increasing demand for ESG strategies in the local market, explain how your firm is meeting client needs by structuring innovative ESG indices based on your proprietary research methodology.
- Provide supporting data on the adoption of your indices and the size of client assets that track these indices.
Best ESG Manager
Celebrates the most effective ESG-focused asset manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain your firm’s approach to ESG investing.
- Detail your firm’s ESG setup at the country level where you are applying and provide specific examples of your ESG investment strategies.
- Indicate the size of your local ESG team, resources, products, and assets under management.
Fund Launch of the Year
Recognises the most successful new fund launch in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain how your firm successfully launched a new fund and its impact over the past year up to November 30, 2025.
- Highlight any innovative strategies employed during the launch period and provide supporting data on the amount of monies raised.
Best Impact Investing Manager
Honours the leading impact investing manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the relatively new nature of impact investing, explain how your firm is making a positive impact combining financial returns and societal returns through your strategy.
- Discuss your firm’s approach to impact investing in either public or private markets, including your research and investment processes.
- Provide information on the assets under management for your impact investing strategies.
Best Index Provider - NEW
Honours the leading provider of index services demonstrating excellence and innovation within Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Outline the scope, scale, and key features of your index offering relevant to the Japan market (e.g. coverage, asset classes).
- Highlight the quality, reliability, and client support model for your index services in Japan.
- Provide evidence of index adoption, accuracy and key achievements in Japan over the past 1-3 years.
- Highlight innovations in index design, unique data sources, local market expertise, or specific commitment to the Japan market.
Best Institutional Asset Manager
Awards the top-performing institutional asset manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Demonstrate your firm’s market share, client retention rate, and success in acquiring new business. Provide supporting data to substantiate your claims.
- Indicate stability of the senior management team, and new initiatives launched or planned.
Most Innovative Product
Celebrates the most innovative fund or product launched by a Japan-based firm.
Submission Guidelines
- Your firm has been able to design and successfully launch a new and innovative fund or product for your clients in the past year and to anticipate market demand early on in the investment cycle at either the country or regional level.
- Provide supporting data, including the amount of monies raised.
Best Pension Fund Manager
Honours the top-performing pension fund manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Your firm will be evaluated on its performance in managing domestic pension mandates over the past three and five years.
- Provide supporting data, including the size of these mandates and your returns relative to relevant benchmarks.
Best REITs Manager
Celebrates excellence in Japanese REITs management.
Submission Guidelines
- Highlight your firm’s current size, fund performance, recent initiatives, new product launches, and future plans.
- Provide supporting data for the period ending November 30, 2025.
Best Retail Asset Manager
Celebrates the top-performing retail asset manager in Japan.
Submission Guidelines
- Your firm must demonstrate a strong market share in the retail market, as evidenced by net assets raised during the year, new fund launches, if any, new investor education initiatives, and successful new distribution arrangements.
- Explain your firm’s online presence and how technology is deployed to enhance the client experience.
Best Application of ESG
Recognises the most effective application of ESG principles by a Japanese asset manager.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the three core components of ESG (environment, social, and governance), explain how your firm integrates these factors into your research and investment processes at the country level where you are applying.
- Detail how your firm’s ESG policies and strategies are implemented across portfolios (firm-wide or by asset class) and the research methodology and scoring system used.
- Provide supporting data on assets and any relevant third-party endorsements.
Best Climate Change Strategy
Honours the most effective climate change strategy implemented by a Japanese firm.
Submission Guidelines
- This award will recognise an institution (stock exchange, bank, asset manager, insurer, sovereign wealth fund, corporate) for its efforts in decarbonisation and contributing to the energy transition towards a net-zero emissions world.
- Explain your institution’s response to this challenge at the country level, including steps implemented to date and future plans.
Most Innovative Application of AI - NEW
Awards the most innovative use of AI in Japan’s asset management industry.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the growing adoption of AI in investment management, please explain how your firm is leveraging AI technologies, such as Generative AI and Large Language Models, to enhance your portfolio management processes.
- Discuss the impact of these technologies on your firm’s operations and clients’ outcomes in the region.
Best NISA Investor Education Initiative - NEW
Honours the organisation demonstrating the most effective and impactful investor education initiatives specifically related to Japan’s Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA) program.
Submission Guidelines
- Describe the objectives and target audience(s) of your NISA education program, considering the recent NISA reforms.
- Detail key activities, content, channels, and tools used to educate Japanese investors about NISA (e.g. seminars, digital platforms, advisory services).
- Provide metrics demonstrating the reach and impact of your NISA initiatives (e.g. participation numbers, growth in NISA accounts advised, improved investor understanding).
- Highlight innovative or unique aspects of your NISA education strategy and its contribution to promoting long-term investment in Japan.
Best NISA Provider of the Year - NEW
Honours the financial institution demonstrating overall excellence in providing NISA accounts, products, and services to Japanese investors.
Submission Guidelines
- Describe your firm’s overall NISA offering, including account types, available investment products (funds, stocks, etc.), and advisory services tailored for NISA investors.
- Provide metrics demonstrating success in the NISA market (e.g. number of NISA accounts opened/advised, AUM within NISA accounts, market share growth).
- Highlight key features, tools, or services that enhance the NISA client experience (e.g. ease of use, digital platforms, quality of advice).
- Showcase your firm’s commitment to supporting Japanese investors in maximising the benefits of the NISA program, especially considering recent reforms.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Period
30 November 2024 – 30 November 2025
Eligible Funds
Must be available to Asian investors.
Minimum Track Record
1+ years (refer to individual award details for specific eligibility criteria).
Judging Criteria
Please see individual award details for specific judging criteria.
Submission Requirements
Deadline
December 17th, 2025 at close of business 6pm HKT. Late submissions will not be considered.
Payment
Ensure payment accompanies the submission.
How to Submit
1. Gather required documentation.
2. Complete the online form.
3. Submit application before the deadline.
Country/Region Awards: Japan
Contact Us
Check out our FAQs which answers the most common questions. If you have any further questions or have any issues with submitting your application, reach out to us at awards@asiaasset.com.