Japan’s ETF industry enjoyed a record-breaking start to 2023, according to industry data. Assets invested in Japanese ETFs increased by 5.1% in January, from US$454 billion to $477 billion, according to research firm ETFGI. Net inflows for January reached $358 million, marking the second consecutive month of net inflows. By the end of January, Japan’s ETF industry comprised 273 products, with 306 listings, from 17 providers listed on three exchanges. Bank of Japan remains the dominant player in the market despite not buying any EYF assets in January, holding ETF assets of $ =billion. Five global asset managers have launched ETFs in Japan – BlackRock, UBS, State Street, Global X and UBS. BlackRock and its iShares division have the most, with close to 30 listed funds. This may increase once the Tokyo Stock Exchange finalises its rules for listing active ETFs in either March or April. © 2023 funds global asia