Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI), the private real estate arm of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, has completed the final close of its inaugural North Haven Real Estate Japan Strategy Fund I (JSF), raising JPY131 billion (about $900 million)—well above its JPY75 billion ($500 million) target. The investor base is anchored by Japanese pension funds and financial institutions, alongside foreign sovereign wealth funds. 

The fund will target residential, office, and industrial properties in Tokyo, Osaka, and other major metropolitan areas, capitalizing on Japan’s urbanization trends, high office occupancy rates, and e-commerce-driven logistics growth. JSF made its first acquisition in March 2025 and has already committed about 8% of capital across residential investments. 

“Japan has a positive macroeconomic outlook driven by inflation and wage growth, regulatory changes shifting corporate behavior towards efficiency, and attractive yield spreads with favorable financing terms,” said Yu Kawamata, co-head of MSREI Asia Investments and head of MSREI Japan. Toru Bando, CIO at MSREI, added that growing domestic allocations to alternatives and heightened global investor interest make JSF “a differentiated country-specific solution.” 

The launch comes amid a surge of international capital into Japan. BentallGreenOak (BGO) raised $5.1 billion for its fourth Asia fund in June, citing expected regulatory reforms and governance shifts that could unlock $3 trillion in non-core asset sales. 

Morgan Stanley has deployed over $10 billion of equity capital in Japan since 1998 and today manages $54 billion in global real estate assets. 

Connect Money will spotlight rising stars who have made a valuable contribution to the alternative investment industry. Based on your nomination, we will recognize professionals who have significantly influenced both the workplace and community. The deadline is September 10. Click here to submit your nominations.