Ethical Investments in Japan

[impecunious]

Retire Japan,

This is my first post. Sorry if this question has already been asked and answered.

I would like to make investments for my children. Does anyone know of any good ethical or social conscious stocks/funds in Japan?

Thank you,

Marc

[fools_gold]

I don't know about mutual funds or individual stocks, but there are some Japanese ETFs that might fit the bill (codes 1347, 1652, 1653, 1654, 1498 in the link below)

http://www.jpx.co.jp/english/equities/p ... 01-04.html

[adamu]

I don't know much about this myself, but deferring to my favourite investing blog, be careful that you're not overpaying for something that doesn't give you what you want. It might be better just to get a simple all-market fund.

Stocks — Part XXXI: Too hot. Too cold. Not pure enough.

…Socially Responsible Funds

The problem with these, as I see it, is…

When you ask your money to do more than make money for you, you are asking a lot. It is akin to having a swimmer compete while wearing a weight belt.

The vast majority of these funds are, and almost must be, actively managed. As you know from reading the Stock Series, actively managed funds have high fees (to pay those active managers) and as we saw above are almost always doomed to underperform.

Only you can decide if you do more good in the world by avoiding the “bad” companies or by taking the extra profits from it and deploying them to achieve your social aims. I do know which my chosen charities would prefer.

[impecunious]

Thanks very much for your replies. I shall investigate those.