Japan to form $900m investment fund with Russia

Japanese and Russian state-backed lenders will create a fund to jointly invest in Moscow’s priority development projects, part of efforts to promote better business and diplomatic ties.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, or RDIF, will each contribute roughly half to the 100 billion yen ($902 million) fund, slated for launch in 2017. Most of that amount will go toward projects in such fields as medicine, urban development and upgrades to manufacturing facilities.

There is a revitalization of foreign interest in Russia that is being driven by the unprecedented reforms to regional level bureaucracy; foreign investors can literally invest in Moscow with nine web clicks.

Smetannikov Max CEO, MVG

JBIC also will form a venture with Russia’s Far East Investment and Export Agency and the Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund to encourage investment in a special economic zone in that area. The institution will serve as a go-between for Russian and Japanese businesses and work with Russian authorities to secure permits. The zone offers benefits such as lower corporate tax rates and simplified administrative processes, with Japanese companies seeing it as a possible hub for Asian exports.

We see high investor interest for commercial property, we expect €4.1 bn of investment deals to be closed in 2016.

Ushakova Irina Senior Director, Head of Capital Markets, CBRE

JBIC also will extend a new line of credit to Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, worth around 30 billion yen.
Tokyo aims to use greater economic cooperation to aid negotiations with Russia over disputed islands off Hokkaido. But Moscow is putting economic matters first, and remains leery of moving too quickly on territorial talks. Japan also must be careful not to step on international toes when dealing with the RDIF, which is subject to sanctions from the U.S. and European nations.

Nikkei Asian Review