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Japanese enjoy the longest lifespan of people anywhere, with the average for men extending to 79 years and 85 years for women. While Japan’s nationalized health care may or may not prolong lives—the system has its shares of critics--one thing few question is Japanese expertise in many cutting edge medical technologies and pharmaceuticals. Traditionally, medical products and services have been developed for the domestic market, but both small and large Japanese companies are looking abroad for growth—not only to the U.S. and Europe but also emerging economies such as China. For smaller companies, finding success abroad is often a matter of, well, life and death. That presents some interesting opportunities for investing in Japan, especially when it comes to small caps overlooked by many investors, says Tad Fujimura, Head of Investment and Research at SPARX Asset Management Co. in Tokyo.
In the swank dance clubs and coffee shops of hip districts in Seoul such as Chungdamdong and Hongdae, trendy 20-somethings in designer jeans gab with friends on $850 music players-cum-mobile phones, the latest must-have gadget for Korea’s A-listers and wannabes. While not all Koreans are as flush and idle, it's a sign of the times amid a solid economic recovery. Despite global uncertainty and a swoon in local stocks since last fall, exports are up, consumer spending on discretionary items is firm and the unemployment rate remains paltry—just 3.0% in May. So if now seems like a good time to invest in Korea’s stock market, you’re not alone. Foreign and domestic investors alike have gingerly begun to bid up the benchmark Kospi index from its early March lows. Some money managers in Seoul expect the equity market to match or exceed last year’s highs before 2008 is over. Min Soo Kim, a portfolio manager at PMA Investment Advisors Ltd., part of SPARX Group, discusses his outlook for the Korean economy and market.
