Overview
Asuka Corporate Advisory Co., Ltd.
Investment Advisory Services and Agency Business Service
Registration No. : Director General of the Kanto Local Financial Bureau (Financial Instrument Firm, “KINSHO”) No. 2162
Affiliate Association : Japan Investment Advisers Association
Corporate History
Asuka Corporate Advisory was established in March 2005. Asuka Corporate Advisory started to support the enhancement of corporate value of investee companies of the “Asuka Value Up Fund”. On March 2009, the firm registered as Investment Advisor Service with the Financial Services Agency of Japan. They continue to seek potential investee, and research and advise to enhance corporate values. On December 2022, the firm agreed on a capital and business alliance with Aozora Bank, Limited (8304).
The name, “Asuka”, is derived from the Asuka period in Japanese history, which heralded in a new era in which the traditional cultures of Japan borrowed influences from foreign cultures and civilizations. At Asuka, we are committed to bringing a new practice to Japanese capital markets by adopting global best practices and integrating them with Japanese practices, which has proved successful.
The name “Asuka” is also written using the Chinese characters meaning “tomorrow” (“asu”) and “fragrance” (“ka”), which can be interpreted to imply blossom and prosperity. Our hope is to create future prosperity for businesses in Japan.
Members
Our team is comprised of professionals carefully selected for their diverse set of skills in order to ensure that our model, aiming at high performance with low market correlation and limited downside, is successful.
Board Members
Chairman of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Mamoru Taniya
Mr. Taniya has a broad range of investment experience from fixed-income derivatives to private equity. The early part of his career was marked by successful years at Salomon Brothers, where he joined in 1987. As the youngest managing director in Asia, he was the head of regional proprietary trading division for Japan and Asia, while widely regarded in the region as one of the pioneers in financial arbitrage trading.
He subsequently joined Tudor Capital (Japan) as one of the founding partners and led an MBO to found Asuka Asset Management where he has served as chairman. He is credited for developing the firm into a leading independent hedge fund in Japan. In addition, he has set up the PE Fund AD Capital (Mercuria), which is a joint venture with DBJ, focused on investments in Asia.
As a venture capitalist, he initiated the launch of Lifenet Insurance Company, the first online life insurance company, invested in “studio yoggy,” a pioneering yoga studio, widely considered to have contributed to the popularization of Yoga in Japan, started Campus for H Inc., a health care venture which develops and markets innovative corporate wellness programs, and promotes well-being including mindfulness, Money Design Inc., the first Robo Advisor company in Japan and Longhash Japan which is incubator of blockchain in Japan. In addition, he and his team set up a corporate venture capital together with IDEO which is famous for design thinking.
In the NGO/NPO sphere, he serves as Representative Founder of International School of Asia, Karuizawa (UWCISAK), the first international boarding school in Japan, since its establishment. In addition, he is the vice chairperson of Human Rights Watch which is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights, director of Asia Pacific Initiative Foundation and board member of Endeavor Japan.
Mr. Taniya received his B.A. in law from the University of Tokyo in 1987.
Representative Director CEO of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Yoshihiro Tanaka
He started his career at The Nippon Credit Bank, Limited (now Aozora Bank) where he rose to the role of listed equity fund manager. He then joined JAFCO Co., Ltd. where he gained experience in private equity investment and the enhancement of business value. During this time, he served as an independent director at portfolio companies, including Yuasa Electronics, Co., Ltd., Kitchenhouse, and Victoria Inc. He then moved to Morgan Stanley where he was a research analyst covering small and medium-size companies. He left Morgan Stanley to join Asuka Group.
Tanaka received his B.A. in Arabic Studies from Osaka University of Foreign Studies (currently School of Foreign Studies, Osaka University) and his MBA from Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.
Director of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Noda Kosuke
He is Excecutive Officer, CFO at Aizawa asset management.
Director/ Founding partner of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Visiting Research Fellow, Center for Finance Research, Waseda University
Yosuke Mitsusada, Ph.D., CFA
He has broad range of investment experience spanning over 23 years. He joined Asuka Group in 2005. Prior to joining Asuka Group, he was a director at Unison Capital (2000-2005), where he led many private equity investment deals and advised lots of companies. He also has investment experience in Japanese and foreign listed equities at The Nippon Credit Bank and Gartmore group (1990-1999). He performed stock selections with good foresight through bottom-up approach and fundamental analysis.
Director of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Yuji Nishimura
He has 23 years’ experience of strategy consulting in Accenture. He is a founding member of Japan strategy service from 1990. He led Japan Management Consulting and APAC Strategy Service in Accenture until March 31, 2013, as one of the three global management committee members.
He joined Accenture in 1990 with Master of Science in Tokyo University. He promoted to Manager in 1994 and partner in 1998. He was appointed as managing partner of APAC healthcare industry in 2000, Japan Management Consulting in 2006, APAC Strategy Service in 2008.
Director of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Jun Shinozaki
After graduating from the School of Commerce at Waseda University, Jun Shinozaki joined Nippon Credit Bank (currently Aozora Bank).
He was mainly engaged in lending and credit examining operations for corporations. After serving as Branch Manager of Takamatsu Branch, General Manager of Credit Dept. 1, General Manager of Sales Dept. 4, etc., he was appointed as Executive Officer of the bank in July 2018.
From July 2022, he has been promoting merchant banking business as Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Corporate Banking Division.
ValueUP Team
Chief Strategist of Asuka Corporate Advisoryt
Isao Hamada
He started his career as a management consultant at Corporate Directions, Inc. then moved to serve as director in charge of finance and business planning at a startup company. He then moved to China and was responsible for creating and managing the start up company’s Shanghai branch. After that, he established his own business in Shanghai.
Hamada received his B.Sc. and his M.Sc. from the University of Tokyo. He also received an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.
Executive Director
Masayuki Kanaoka
He started his career as an analyst in the banking, trading, automotive and machinery areas ,then as a fund manager of the growth team at Resona Trust & Banking Co., Ltd(now Resona Holdings, Inc).He left Resona to join Asuka Group.
Kanaoka received his B.A. in Commerce from Waseda University. Certified Member Analyst of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan
Director
Tomonobu Itokawa
He started his career as a client service associate for public pension funds in Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, then moved to Pre M&A unit in Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC as a management consultant.Itokawa received his B.A. in Economics from Keio University. He also received an MBA(Financial Strategy Program) from Hitotsubashi University Business School, Japan. He is a Chartered Member of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan and Certified International Investment Analyst
Associate
Ai Watanabe
Prior to joining the Asuka Group, she worked at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management. She was involved in fund management, fund operations and fund research for Mutual funds focusing on emerging market equities, theme stocks and REITs. She graduated from the Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University. Certified Member Analyst of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan.
Auditors
Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Hidetaka Kawakita
He started his career at Nippon Life Insurance Company, then he moved to its’ sister company, NLI Research Institute, as the chief strategist for the Financial Research Department. He later rejoined Nippon Life Insurance Company as the general manager of the Treasury & Capital Markets Department, general manager of Finance & Investment Planning Department and a director of the company.
After a 30 year career at Nippon Life, he left the company to expand his career, specializing in the securities markets, securities investment, and investor behavior. He was formerly a research professor at the Graduate School of Accounting, Chuo University, and a professor of Policy Studies at Doshisha University.
Since 2006, Mr. Kawakita has been a professor of the Graduate School of Management at Kyoto University, where he lectures on the securities markets and securities investments.
He is a director of the Nippon Finance Association.
He has published a number of works on a variety of subjects, including the financial industry, industry reforms and stock markets. Examples of his publications include the following:
“Substantial Analysis of Stock and Bond Investment” (Chuokeizai-sha, 2008)
“Textbook of Stock & Bond Investment” (Chuokeizai-sha, 2006)
“Market Micro-structure” (Nihon Keizai Shimbunsha 1998, co-author)
“Corporate Finance: Best Practices in Japanese Companies” (Nihon Keizai Shimbunsha 2008, co-author)
Professor Kawakita received his B.A. in Economics from Kyoto University.
Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Asuka Corporate Advisory
Kenichi Masuda
He is a lawyer and partner at Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, and he has considerable experience in representing domestic and overseas clients from a wide range of businesses and industries. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, cross-border investments and corporate restructurings. He is also involved in assisting venture companies, venture capital and private equity funds, as well as providing legal services on employment and labor union relations, real estate property transactions, intellectual property issues and other general corporate matters.
He received his B.A. in Law from the University of Tokyo.
Contact Us
Asuka Corporate Advisory Co., Ltd.
7th Floor, Tokyo Shiodome Building,
1 Chome-9-1 Higashishinbashi, Minato City, Tokyo 105-7307
Directions:
- 1 minutes’ walk from shiodome Station (Toei Oedo Line), Exit 9
- 1 minutes’ walk from shiodome Station (Yurikamome Line), East Exit
- 7 minutes’ walk from shinbashi Station (JR Line), Shiodome Exit
- 7 minutes’ walk from shinbashi Station (Tokyo Metoro Ginza Line/Toei Asakusa Line), Exit A2
Tel: +81-3-6228-5097
E-mail: aca-info@asuka-advisory.com