Options to Improve the Governance and Investment of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund

Abstract

This paper suggests avenues for strengthening the governance and management of the Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the largest single pool of pension assets in the world. The GPIF earned its name in 2006 as part of a major governance reform that aimed at increasing the transparency and autonomy of the fund. While much improved, the new governance structure still falls short of international best practices and in some aspects does not meet some of the basic criteria contained in OECD recommendations, in particular the OECD Guidelines for Pension Fund Governance.