The Japanese asset management company has launched an Asia ex-Japan equity fund to meet demand for investments in the region.

Tokyo-based Nikko Asset Management has launched a UCITS fund to provide exposure to companies in the Asia ex-Japan region.

The Luxemburg domiciled Asia ex-Japan Equity UCITS fund will be run by the asset manager's Asia ex-Japan equities team, which is headed up by Peter Sartori and Eng Teck Tan as lead portfolio managers.

The Asia ex-Japan equity strategy has been managed by the team since 2006. It targets long-term capital growth through a portfolio of 40 to 60 mid to large-cap stocks.

"We have launched the fund in response to investor demand for specialist expertise in actively managed investments in Asia ex-Japan,” Sartori, head of Asian equities, said. “The need for a highly skilled active fund management team with on-the-ground resources, and experience in different market conditions is increasing."

Earlier this year, the company added a global equity fund and a multi-asset fund to its UCITS range and plans for further launches later this year. Nikko Asset Management operates from 11 countries, nine of which are based in Asia, and managed $161.3 billion in assets as of the end of June.