Mitsui & Co., Ltd. has entered into an agreement with Westbourne Credit Management Limited to acquire a 20% equity ownership in Westbourne. 

As a result of this investment, Mitsui will become the first Japanese company to participate in a funds management business specializing in infrastructure debt.

Established in Australia in 2008, Westbourne is a funds management company specializing in infrastructure debt funds management. Westbourne provides investment management services for global institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and the insurance sector based in East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. The capital raised from these institutional investors is being progressively invested in the debt of infrastructure-related companies, such as airports, tollroads, ports and water and energy utilities. 

Since 2001, Mitsui's wholly owned subsidiary, Japan Alternative Investment Co., Ltd., has built a track record of sales of alternative financial instruments based on various assets. Infrastructure debt funds managed by Westbourne will also be marketed by Japan Alternative Investment to Japanese investors with the aim of offering a diverse range of investment opportunities.

Through the participation in this infrastructure debt funds management company and other initiatives, Mitsui will continue to respond to the needs of investors by further strengthening its asset management activities and expanding its business platforms in Japan and overseas.