Janus’ first-ever active ETF for Europe eyes Japan equities

Patrick Buncsi

23 October 2024

Janus Henderson has launched its first active exchange traded fund (ETF) for European investors, with the new investor offering targeting Japanese equities.

The high conviction Janus Henderson Tabula Japan High Conviction Equity UCITS ETF (JCPN) provides investors with exposure to companies likely to benefit from structural themes and trends in the Japanese equities market.

The actively managed all-cap fund comprises a concentrated portfolio of 20 to 30 holdings, and is benchmarked to the MSCI Japan Index and TOPIX.

The UCITS, or Undertakings for the Collective Investment in Transferable Securities, refers to the regulatory framework established by the European Commission for managing and selling mutual funds.

Janus’ launch of the new Japan-focused fund follows its acquisition of European ETF provider Tabula Investment Management in July 2024.

The fund will be managed by Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited (JHIUK), and advised by Junichi Inoue, head of Japanese equities and the Japan high conviction equity strategy.

Commenting on the launch of the new fund, Inoue said now is the “ideal time to invest in Japan, with a sustainable inflation outlook and corporate governance reform, businesses are becoming more shareholder-friendly and providing stronger investment opportunities”.

Janus boasts of its “extensive expertise” in Japanese equities, with the new fund providing investors with an alternative means of accessing its “deep knowledge and insights in this market”.

The fund will initially be listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange’s Xetra exchange under the JCPN ticker. This will be followed by listings on the London Stock Exchange and Borsa Italiana, with availability extended to all major European markets.

JCPN attracts fees of 0.49% per annum.

Ignacio De La Maza, Janus Henderson’s head of EMEA & LatAm client group, said the launch of its inaugural European active ETF “marks the beginning of our journey” in market, with the firm poised to introduce a series of active ETFs over the next 12 months that will each “cater to a different customer need”.