Nomura launches 'Funds'

Nomura Asset Management, a leading Japan-based investment manager, and the Board of Directors of Nomura Partners Funds, Inc., formerly known as The Japan Fund, Inc., the United States' oldest Japanese equity mutual fund, announced today the launch of Nomura Partners Funds, Inc. (the “Funds”), a family of mutual funds with an Asian and global focus. The Funds will give investors the ability to choose from a variety of Asian and global funds, providing them with “The World from Asia.” Nomura Asset Management U.S.A. Inc. will be the investment advisor for the Funds and each Fund will be managed by a team of investment specialists with one overriding goal: competitive performance.

“Nomura Asset Management and the Board of Directors of Nomura Partners funds, Inc. are very happy to bring their expertise to creating this unique family of funds. We believe Nomura Partners Funds will provide investors with additional investment choices in global regions that can provide significant opportunities for wealth creation,” said Shigeru Shinohara, president and CEO, Nomura Asset Management U.S.A. Inc. “The launch of Nomura Partners Funds further strengthens Nomura Asset Management's expansion into the US retail mutual fund market.”

The investment objective of each Fund, with the exception of the Global Equity Income Fund, is to achieve long-term capital growth. The Global Equity Income Fund's investment objective is to achieve current income and long-term growth of capital through investements in relatively high dividend- paying stocks.

Two leading institutional managers, McKinley Capital Management, LLC (McKinley Capital) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Martin Currie Inc. (Martin Currie) of Edinburgh, Scotalnd, will manage three of the funds. McKinley Capital, a global growth asset management specialist, will manage the International 130/30 Equity Fund while Martin Currie, a specialist international equity investment manager, will manage the Global Alpha Equity Fund and the Global Emerging Markets Fund.

Mr. William L. Givens, chairman of the board of Nomura Partners Funds, Inc. said, “this is a formidable strategic alliance that we believe will serve our investors well. Our main goal is to provide our investors with stable, long-term performance and superior client service. We are committed to providing the same standard of excellence and investor satisfaction that our shareholders have always received from The Japan Fund. We are confident that Nomura Asset Management has the same objective.”
The Board of Directors and Nomura Asset Management first announced the alliance with the Japan Fund on June 2, 2008. On November 1, 2008, Nomura Asset Management U.S.A., Inc. became The Japan Fund's investment advisor. On December 1, 2008, The Japan Fund officially became a series within the broader Nomura Partners Funds.