Overview
The Astro Japan Property Trust (AJT) was the first Australian listed property trust with the strategy of investing in the real estate market of Japan, the world's second largest economy.
AJT was established on 31 January 2005 and became a registered scheme under the Corporations Act 2001 on 17 February 2005. AJT listed on the Australian Securities Exchange on 4 April 2005 under the name of Babcock & Brown Japan Property Trust and was renamed Astro Japan Property Trust on 23 July 2009.
As part of the separation of AJT from the Babcock & Brown Group on 16 April 2009, AJT implemented a restructure to enable the internalisation of the Responsible Entity and Australian management. On 12 November 2009, the units in AJT were stapled to the shares in Astro Japan Property Group Limited (AJCo) to form the Astro Japan Property Group (Astro Group).
The Astro Group is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and its stapled securities trade under the ASX code AJA.
The initial portfolio was made up of interests in a diversified portfolio comprising 12 office and retail properties located in the central and greater Tokyo area.
The Astro Group currently holds interests in a portfolio comprising 41 office, retail and residential properties, located throughout Japan.
The Astro Group has undertaken the following capital raisings since inception:
- At IPO in April 2005, AJA raised ¥23 billion ($280 million) and acquired 12 assets for ¥47 billion($570 million).
- A rights issue in November 2005 raised ¥19 billion ($226 million), which funded the acquisition of 18 assets for ¥39 billion ($450 million).
- An institutional placement in August 2006 raised $114.5.million, which funded the acquisition of 5 retail properties.
- An institutional placement in August 2007 raised $51.9 million to partially fund the acquisition of interests in a number of properties.
- An institutional placement in March 2011 raised $23.6 million, which funded the partial repayment of the loan to JPT Corporate Co., Ltd, one of the five property owning Japanese SPCs in which the Astro Group holds an economic interest.
Asset management services in Japan are generally undertaken by Spring Investment Co., Ltd.