At the time of its launch, Japan's first ESG-focused
venture capital fund MPower Partners Fund, established by former
Goldman Sachs vice-chair Kathy Matsui and sized at US$150 million,
garnered substantial attention within the funds industry.
The MPower Partners Fund is a rarity in Japan given its female
leadership, as noted by Bloomberg and other media. In addition,
while the venture investment market has expanded rapidly in Japan
in recent years, it remains small in comparison to its counterparts
in the US and China. The launch of the fund marks a significant
milestone in the Japan's investment fund industry.
Despite the relative newness of ESG funds in Japan,
structuring an investment fund powered by an ESG strategy
is similar to structuring any other type of investment fund. This
article highlights practical insights and advice that fund managers
can reference to when seeking to establish
an ESG investment fund in Japan.