Purpose Residential Real Estate Investment Trusts in Japan (residential J-REITs) have become an increasingly significant listed property sector recently. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of residential J-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Japan by assessing the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of residential J-REITs over July 2006–August 2018. The ongoing property investment implications for residential J-REITs are also identified. Design/methodology/approach Using monthly total returns, the risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits for residential J-REITs over July 2006–August 2018 are assessed. An asset allocation diagram is employed to assess the role of residential J-REITs in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Japan. Findings Residential J-REITs generally delivered superior risk-adjusted returns compared with the other sub-sector J-REITs, stocks and bonds in Japan over July 2006–August 2018, with desirable portfolio diversification benefits in the full mixed-asset portfolio context. Importantly,residential J-REITs are observed as strongly contributing to the mixed-asset portfolio context in Japan across the portfolio risk spectrum, particularly in a post-GFC context. This also reflects that residential J-REITs provide high portfolio returns and strong portfolio diversification benefits in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Japan. Practical implications Residential J-REITs are effective and liquid residential property investment exposure in Japan. The results highlight the strong risk-adjusted performance of residential J-REITs in Japan’s mixed-asset portfolio context. This suggests institutional investors, particularly Japan institutional investors, should consider including residential J-REITs in their mixed-asset portfolios, as residential J-REITs are seen as a compelling investment product co-existing alongside the other sub-sector REITs and major asset classes in institutional investor portfolios in the context of Japan. This also confirms the effectiveness of institutionalised residential J-REITs. Given the solid residential property market fundamentals in Japan, an increased level of the institutionalisation of residential J-REITs can be expected. Originality/value The study is the first study to assess the effectiveness of residential J-REITs, via assessing the significance, risk-adjusted performance and portfolio diversification benefits of residential J-REITs and their role in a mixed-asset portfolio context in Japan. This research enables more informed and practical property investment decision making regarding the value-added and strategic role of residential J-REITs as effective and liquid residential property investment exposure in Japan, as well as an increasingly institutionalised property sector going forward.

Australian sector-specific REITs (A-REITs) have grown significantly in recent years. This raises the issue of whether sector-specific A-REITs play a value-added role compared with diversified A-REITs. Despite the rapid growth of sector-specific A-REITs, limited studies have been devoted to it. Hence, this study aims to compare sector-specific A-REITs with diversified A-REITs by assessing risk-return performance, portfolio diversification benefits and portfolio allocation strategies for sector-specific A-REITs over January 2000 -August 2018. The results suggest that sector-specific A-REITs play a value-added and strategic role in an Australian mixed-asset portfolio, with superior risk-adjusted returns, enhanced portfolio diversification benefits and increased portfolio returns compared with that for diversified A-REITs. This supports the notion of specialisation value on A-REITs. The practical listed property investment implications regarding the value-added and strategic role of sector-specific A-REITs are also identified.