<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published December 22, 2008
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>S'pore widens lead as Asian investor in Japan
US$2.5b invested in first 9 months accounts for 86% of total from Asia
By CHUANG PECK MING
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(SINGAPORE) Singapore has extended its lead as Asia's biggest investor in Japan, pumping US$2.5 billion in direct investments into the country in the first nine months of this year.
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</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The sum is 86 per cent of the total that Asia invested in Japan during the same period - and double the amount Singapore companies injected into the country for the whole of 2007, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation.
Globally, the United States remained the largest direct investor in Japan so far, based on the net balance of payment figures provided by Japan's Finance Ministry.
But hit by an economic slowdown at home, US companies have cut back their investments from US$13.27 billion in 2007 to US$5.61 billion in the first nine months.
This is likely to depress overall foreign direct investment (FDI) in Japan for 2008. From January to September, US$17.95 billion flowed into Japan. For the whole of last year, the figure was US$22.18 billion.
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</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#fffff1><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=124 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>'The value of inflow from Singapore rose by more than 10 times over the past five years and accounted for 80% of the net inflow from Asia in 2007.'
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Except for the US, which accounts for a big chunk of the FDI in Japan, Western Europe, Latin America and Asia have raised their stakes in the first nine months of this year.
Within Asia, South Korea (US$246 million) was the next biggest investor in Japan after Singapore. While China has been making waves with huge investments in the mining sector in Latin America, Africa and Australia, its FDI in Japan in the first nine months was only US$30 million - though that's double its FDI in the country for the whole of 2007.
In a report that does not take into account the January-September 2008 figures, Jetro notes that the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation invested heavily in Japan's real estate last year - US$862.2 million in Hawks Town and US$721.8 million in Westin Tokyo hotel.
'The value of inflow from Singapore rose by more than 10 times over the past five years and accounted for 80 per cent of the net inflow from Asia in 2007, of which approximately 60 per cent was investment towards the real estate industry,' the report says.
Singapore posted a net FDI of US$1.28 billion in Japan last year, when FDI in the country hit a new high of US$22.2 billion.
South Korea's FDI of US$221 million was double the amount for 2006, 'boosted by merger and acquisition cases, such as the acquisition of Myodo Metal by Samsung C&T Corporation (US$37 million) and the acquisition of GameOn by NewWiz Games Corporation and other companies (US$95.5 million)'.
As at end-2007, Singapore sunk US$4.62 billion in Japan - the largest among Asian countries. Hong Kong has the next largest Asian FDI in the country, with US$2.3 billion, followed by Taiwan (US$1.53 billion). China's accumulated FDI in Japan was US$125 million as at the end of last year.
Globally, the US (US$44.79 billion) is the biggest investor in Japan, followed by the Netherlands (US$26.03 billion).
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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>S'pore widens lead as Asian investor in Japan
US$2.5b invested in first 9 months accounts for 86% of total from Asia
By CHUANG PECK MING
<TABLE class=storyLinks cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD align=right width=20>
</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(SINGAPORE) Singapore has extended its lead as Asia's biggest investor in Japan, pumping US$2.5 billion in direct investments into the country in the first nine months of this year.<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The sum is 86 per cent of the total that Asia invested in Japan during the same period - and double the amount Singapore companies injected into the country for the whole of 2007, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation.Globally, the United States remained the largest direct investor in Japan so far, based on the net balance of payment figures provided by Japan's Finance Ministry.
But hit by an economic slowdown at home, US companies have cut back their investments from US$13.27 billion in 2007 to US$5.61 billion in the first nine months.
This is likely to depress overall foreign direct investment (FDI) in Japan for 2008. From January to September, US$17.95 billion flowed into Japan. For the whole of last year, the figure was US$22.18 billion.
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- Jetro
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Within Asia, South Korea (US$246 million) was the next biggest investor in Japan after Singapore. While China has been making waves with huge investments in the mining sector in Latin America, Africa and Australia, its FDI in Japan in the first nine months was only US$30 million - though that's double its FDI in the country for the whole of 2007.
In a report that does not take into account the January-September 2008 figures, Jetro notes that the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation invested heavily in Japan's real estate last year - US$862.2 million in Hawks Town and US$721.8 million in Westin Tokyo hotel.
'The value of inflow from Singapore rose by more than 10 times over the past five years and accounted for 80 per cent of the net inflow from Asia in 2007, of which approximately 60 per cent was investment towards the real estate industry,' the report says.
Singapore posted a net FDI of US$1.28 billion in Japan last year, when FDI in the country hit a new high of US$22.2 billion.
South Korea's FDI of US$221 million was double the amount for 2006, 'boosted by merger and acquisition cases, such as the acquisition of Myodo Metal by Samsung C&T Corporation (US$37 million) and the acquisition of GameOn by NewWiz Games Corporation and other companies (US$95.5 million)'.
As at end-2007, Singapore sunk US$4.62 billion in Japan - the largest among Asian countries. Hong Kong has the next largest Asian FDI in the country, with US$2.3 billion, followed by Taiwan (US$1.53 billion). China's accumulated FDI in Japan was US$125 million as at the end of last year.
Globally, the US (US$44.79 billion) is the biggest investor in Japan, followed by the Netherlands (US$26.03 billion).
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