In the summer of 2020, Tokyo will host the Olympic games. The infrastructure in the City is being upgraded, in particularly the already excellent train network, and there are plans to enhance the English language accessibility of the soft infrastructure.
Tokyo is a great city, and I am sure will host a memorable Olympics. It could mark the renaissance of an economic super-power, or it might be the bookend to an era, as the Emperor will have abdicated the year before.
The Japanese institutional stores of capital are legendary, and also renowned for their conservatism. Abe’s arrows of stimulus have done something to the domestic stability of Japan over the last few years. However, not much has been achieved internationally. This is ironic, as Japanese trading houses have tentacles that creep across the globe. The Trillion Yen held by the saving and pensions funds should seek positive returns from engaging with the global asset management industry, however, fear of failure and concerns on currency risk have kept much of the capital in the domestic capital markets, earning negative nominal returns.
Maybe by 2020, more capital will be flowing into international funds. Let the games begin.