BNY Mellon, the US-headquartered global investment services company, has bolstered its Japan asset management business with the creation of a new equities team.

The six-strong group joins from ING Investment Management and will be based in Tokyo. Led by Miyuki Kashima, the team includes investment managers, analysts and a trader. 

"There is an increasing air of optimism for growth and opportunity in Japan. This is why we believe now is the right time to increase our investment in the country and strengthen our local presence to cover domestic equities as well as broaden international investments," said Shizu Kishimoto, representative director and president of BNY Mellon Asset Management Japan.

Kashima and her team have built a strong track record at ING since joining in 2009. In this new post, she reports locally to Kishimoto and functionally to Alan Harden, chief executive for the Asia-Pacific investment management business. 

BNY Mellon opened its first office in Tokyo in 1970 and received a branch licence in 1973. The asset management division was launched in 1998 and since then the company has expanded its range of services to include investment management, asset servicing, broker-dealer services, corporate trusts and others.