Manulife Investment Management and Kenedix announce successful acquisition of a JPY 23 billion multifamily portfolio in Japan

TOKYO/TORONTO/HONG KONG, August 20, 2024 – Manulife Investment Management and Kenedix today announced the successful acquisition of a JPY 23 billion nine-asset, high-quality multifamily portfolio in Japan.

The joint venture (“JV”) has entered into sale and purchase agreements to acquire a portfolio of income-generating multifamily assets located in Greater Tokyo and Greater Osaka that offers residents convenient access to railway stations and neighborhood amenities. With an average age of less than one year, the newly completed assets comprise 564 modern rental units spanning approximately 29,000 square meters of total gross area. The JV has acquired 8 assets in July 2024 with the remaining  asset to be closed in early 2025.

Since its launch in 2022, the JV formed by Manulife and Kenedix has aggregated a high-quality and stable multifamily portfolio in Japan. The JV’s portfolio (“Portfolio”) is well-diversified with over 1,200 single, compact and family type units across 19 quality assets, the majority of which are located in Tokyo. The Portfolio has maintained an average occupancy rate exceeding 95% since inception. All the existing assets have received green certifications post acquisitions, demonstrating our continuous commitments to improving the environments and society through active asset management. Manulife Investment Management is the investment advisor to Manulife’s General Accounts for this JV.

“This acquisition further strengthens Manulife’s investment capabilities, in partnership with Kenedix, to source, underwrite, execute, and actively manage high-quality real estate investments in the Japan multifamily market. It also underscores our long-term commitment to the resilient and growing sector, which we believe will continue to deliver stable, good risk-adjusted returns for our investors.” said Fumihito Ogasawara, Senior Director, Asia Real Estate Investments & Asset Management. “We have strong conviction in the multifamily sector in Japan as it fully aligns with our investment strategy in the Asia Pacific region. We look forward to collaborating with Kenedix in further opportunities across various asset classes.” said Kenny Lam, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Transactions, Real Estate Equity, Asia Pacific, Manulife Investment Management.

“Having established the partnership with Manulife in 2022, we are very pleased to expand the scale of the JV through this acquisition and build an even stronger partnership with the company. We believe that the expansion of the scale of the JV, which is regarded as one of the key projects in our core real estate strategy, will further ensure the development of our business. Currently, rents for multifamily are on the rise, particularly in Tokyo and Osaka, and we believe that this portfolio, which is composed mainly of properties in these areas, will show high profitability and contribute to improving the returns of the JV. We will continue to provide high-quality real estate asset management services by leveraging our sourcing and management capabilities we have cultivated over the years.” said Soushi Ikeda, Managing Director, Head of Strategic Investment Department, Kenedix,Inc.

Manulife Investment Management develops and manages commercial real estate for thousands of customers around the globe as part of its comprehensive private markets’ capabilities. As of March 31, 2024, the real estate portfolio totals 85 million square feet of office, industrial, retail, and multifamily space strategically located in markets across Canada, the U.S., and Asia Pacific. The group leverages its global platform and local expertise to provide market-leading solutions for its tenants and deliver results for its partners.  

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 35 million customers. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

About Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is the brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering investors for a better tomorrow. Serving more than 19 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members, we believe our global reach, complementary businesses, and the strength of our parent company position us to help investors capitalize on today's emerging global trends. We provide our clients access to public and private investment solutions across equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternative, and sustainability-linked strategies, such as natural capital, to help them make more informed financial decisions and achieve their investment objectives. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

About Kenedix

Kenedix, Inc. was established in 1995. The company made a full-fledged entry into the real estate asset management business in 1999, and has developed its business through the application of advanced investment and financial approaches. The company’s Asset Management Business, which began with the management of private real estate funds, has expanded into the management of J-REIT, and is currently expanding its scope of operations to include long-term core funds. Kenedix plans to continue expanding its business by extending the scope of its operations in line with the needs of its client investors.

Manulife Investment Management (Asia) 

Media

Carl Wong
+852 2510 3180 Ext. 663180
carl_kk_wong@manulifeam.com

 

Kenedix

Public Relations & Sustainability Department

kdx_prs@kenedix.com