VIDEO: Globis Capital Partners' Yoshito Hori

Speaking to AVCJ TV at the AVCJ Japan Forum held earlier this month, Hori advises investors to consider Japan's wider internet space, particularly areas such as social media, contents games, cloud computing and "anything really IT-related." This sector, which is also Globis' focus, has less volatility than other hard-asset-based companies in Japan, which was evident after the earthquake and tsunami in March, he says.

In terms of the Japan's wider venture space, Hori avers that venture is no more depressed than other areas in the market, citing the slide in the Nikkei since 1999. That should encourage LPs to invest in venture and Japan on the whole, he says, because the country has seen its share of volatility and has learned to navigate it.

"LPs are thinking global as a portfolio. What they don't like is uncertainty - uncertainty about what's happening in Europe; uncertainty about what's going to happen in BRICs like China and India; and uncertainty about the US. In the case of Japan, we have seen all that bad news and are still making money and returns," he says.

"I always say that Europe is going into the tunnel, so it's very difficult to see in the dark. In the case of Japan, we have been in the tunnel for a long time, so we can see what's happening in the dark. So there are less uncertainties in Japan, the values are attractive, and the people are good, so it's a very good space to be investing into."

Hori can next be seen as a speaker at the AVCJ Forum 2011 discussing opportunities in Asia's venture space, with co-panelists Hanneke Smits of Adams Street Partners and Kai Fu Lee of Innovation Works. For more information visit www.avcjforum.com.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• North Asia
• Venture
• People
• Japan
• Venture
• Globis Capital Partners
• Yoshito Hori
• Avcjtv