April in Japan is marked by cherry blossoms in full bloom. It is the most beautiful season of the year. Amid this vibrant backdrop, NOAH’s ARK continues to deepen its commitment to the Japanese market, taking another strategic step forward with the advancement of its localized global strategy.

Japan has long been viewed by NOAH’s ARK as a market of both strategic importance and untapped potential. The establishment of ARK Japan in 2024 was a key milestone in Noah’s broader global expansion, reflecting our belief that Japan plays a crucial role in the future of cross-border wealth management.

In 2025, NOAH’s ARK unveiled its “Glocalization” strategy, a forward-looking model that goes beyond either globalization or localization. Instead, we help clients build market-specific portfolios that respect local characteristics while leveraging global expertise. This “global reach, local depth” approach aims to empower Chinese-speaking wealth managers with a resilient investment framework built to navigate cycles and markets across regions.

As our presence in Japan deepens, this strategic vision is being put into practice, connecting with high-quality, differentiated resources to deliver wealth solutions that are both professionally rigorous and culturally resonant for global Chinese investors.

In Japan, a market where local expertise is essential, forming strong, credible partnerships is key to delivering high-quality service. On March 18, ARK Japan entered a strategic partnership with Tokyo Star Bank, aiming to jointly explore business opportunities and deliver locally attuned financial services to Chinese-speaking clients.

Tokyo Star Bank is a uniquely positioned financial institution that combines local market knowledge with global vision. Known for its client-centric, flexible approach, the bank has continued to innovate to meet increasingly personalized needs, a philosophy deeply aligned with NOAH’s ARK’s long-standing client-first principles.

Ms. Jingbo Wang, Chairwoman of Noah Holdings, commented: “Tokyo Star Bank serves international investors in Japan with financial services that blend global perspective and local understanding. This is well aligned with ARK Japan’s mission to deliver personalized solutions to local Chinese clients. By continuously building partnerships with top-tier institutions in the Japanese market, we hope to create more comprehensive, integrated financial service experiences for the Chinese-speaking community.”

In March, ARK Japan also hosted its Spring Investment Strategy Meeting, inviting global thought leaders and core clients to share ARK Japan’s development roadmap, discuss our 2025 H1 CIO Report, and explore macroeconomic trends and investment certainty across major Japanese asset classes.

Why Japan? A Strategic Testbed for “Global Network, Local Depth”

As a mature economy with a robust regulatory framework, Japan continues to attract global investors. Its cultural proximity to China and geographic closeness makes it a natural fit for many Chinese wealth managers and investors seeking international diversification.

Unlike markets such as Europe, the U.S., or Canada, Japan maintains a high level of localization while remaining open to global capital. Compared to city-based economies like Singapore or Hong Kong, Japan offers a deeper domestic industrial base and more balanced development, with strong public trust in local enterprises.

For NOAH’s ARK, Japan’s hybrid nature—open yet deeply rooted—makes it an ideal proving ground for our “global-local” service model.

The well-known saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” reflects a mindset that resonates deeply with many Chinese investors. ARK Japan’s initiatives are a direct and timely response to this rising demand for diversified, globally anchored wealth strategies.

Through this partnership with Tokyo Star Bank, we look forward to delivering more diverse, locally tailored solutions and building a platform for deeper dialogue, exchange, and knowledge sharing, meeting not only financial needs but also the intellectual and emotional expectations of Chinese-speaking investors around the world.

After the “Lost Decades”—Where Is Japan Headed?

The term “Japan’s Lost Decades” is well-known, referring to the prolonged period of economic stagnation following the bursting of the asset bubble in the early 1990s. But a closer look at the past 10–15 years tells a different story.

Today, Japanese equities and real estate have entered a sustained period of appreciation, and the overall quality of Japan’s economic growth has clearly improved, marking a shift from the past.

Many Chinese investors have taken note of the yen’s significant depreciation in recent years and see this as an entry point for allocating to Japanese assets. What’s less noticed, however, is that many Japanese companies derive substantial profits from overseas operations, a strength amplified by the weaker yen, resulting in stronger returns from offshore investments.

This resilience is deeply rooted in Japan’s postwar “Rebuild Japan Abroad” strategy, which enabled companies to overcome domestic limitations in land and resources and build robust, globally diversified operations.

While globalization remains the prevailing trend, the return of localization—particularly in the wake of political and economic shifts in the West—deserves increasing attention from global Chinese investors.

NOAH’s ARK will continue to advance its “Global Network, Local Depth” strategy, exploring a new paradigm for helping Chinese-speaking wealth owners invest globally while staying grounded locally. Through this approach, we aim to serve the evolving needs of global Chinese investors with more agility, insight, and foresight.