Interim Management Report

During the six months to the end of February 2022 the NAV total return of your Company decreased by 14.8% whilst the share price fell by 18.3% as the shares moved from a premium to a discount to NAV.  The TOPIX fell by 4.9% on a total return basis.  During the period smaller and higher growth businesses have generally been out of favour as the market has focused on post-pandemic economic recovery.  However, we would note, as we did last year in positive circumstances, that six months is a very short timeframe.  In our view it is more helpful to consider investment over a longer time horizon, which allows time for business fundamentals to dominate sentiment.  Over three years to the end of February, the NAV total return was 24.2% and over five years 43.7% compared to the TOPIX return of 20.6% and 24.0% respectively.

The three largest negative contributors to performance were Raksul (-1.1%), GA Technologies (-0.9%) and Sysmex (-0.8%).  Raksul operates online services offering printing, on-demand logistics and advertising - securing unused capacity in its target industries and offering it to clients at competitive rates.  We continue to believe that the company has a large growth opportunity ahead and the management capabilities to seize them.  GA Technologies is attempting to automate various real-estate processes.  It has been investing heavily to strengthen its software development capabilities, resulting in near-term operating losses.  We believe that this is the correct approach for management to take to maximise the long-term growth opportunity.  Sysmex is a very long-standing holding that focuses on blood analysis and has made a large positive contribution to performance in the past but short-term concerns relating to China have resulted in share price weakness.  The use of gearing also made a negative (-1.9%) contribution. 

On the positive side the largest contributors were Inpex (+1.2%) and Sumitomo Metal Mining (+0.9%).  Inpex benefitted from the confluence of successful production from its Ichthys LNG project and stronger energy demand from post-pandemic economic recovery.  Sumitomo Metal Mining benefitted from higher copper, nickel and gold prices.  Copper and nickel are key for electrification and batteries respectively making them important to green energy development.  Meanwhile Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a spike in energy and nickel prices, influencing both holdings. 

During the period we bought four new holdings and sold seven holdings.  Turnover remained low in line with our long-term time horizon.  The new holdings are Nintendo, Shiseido, Chugoku Marine Paints and Shima Seiki.  As is typical for our flexible growth style, the new holdings operate across a range of industries and include companies of a variety of sizes, including the small.  Nintendo has some of the most iconic characters in the gaming world, such as Mario and Zelda.  We believe that ongoing developments in gaming will allow greater value to accrue from this intellectual property.  Shiseido has Japan's best skincare franchise and is particularly strong in China.  This means that it should be able show significant growth over a very long-term time horizon.  Chugoku Marine Paints does what it says on the tin, providing value-added paint for ships that helps to reduce their drag through the water.  Finally, Shima Seiki makes automated knitting machines.  Through innovation it has developed the world's first "Wholegarment" knitting machine that can very efficiently knit an entire garment, producing high quality clothes while helping to reduce waste. 

Holdings were sold for a variety of reasons.  These include reduced conviction in long-term growth prospects (Asics, Subaru, Fukuoka Financial, Zenkoku Hosho), loss of confidence in management execution abilities (Cyberdyne, Demae-can), and insufficient further upside in the shares (Gree). 

Although there has been a set-back to the NAV of your Company, we remain optimistic about the future.  Japan is an advanced democratic nation that adheres to the rule of law.  Technological change creates opportunities for smaller growth companies.  Your Company contains a blend of growth businesses ranging from high growth internet and automation businesses through to consumer brands and eclectic long-duration growth businesses.  Given our satisfaction with the fundamental progress of the portfolio combined with what we believe to be particularly attractive valuations, we used the gearing to buy more shares in companies where we see significant upside.  Consequently, the level of net gearing rose and ended the period at 16.9%.  In summary, our view is that your Company has a well-diversified portfolio of quality growth companies with sound long-term prospects available at particularly attractive valuations.  

Past performance is not a guide to future performance

Total return information sourced from Refinitiv/Baillie Gifford. See disclaimer at end of this document.

See Glossary of Terms and Alternative Performance Measures at the end of this announcement.

Responsibility Statement

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:

a) the condensed set of Financial Statements has been prepared in accordance with FRS 104 'Interim Financial Reporting';

b) the Interim Management Report includes a fair review of the information required by Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 4.2.7R (being an indication of important events that have occurred during the first six months of the financial year, their impact on the condensed set of Financial Statements and a description of the principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the year); and

c) the Interim Financial Report includes a fair review of the information required by Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 4.2.8R (disclosure of related party transactions and changes therein).

On behalf of the Board

J Keith R Falconer

Chairman

22 March 2022

Equity Portfolio by Growth Category as at 28 February 2022

¹ Secular Growth: Opportunity to grow rapidly but where there are a number of potential outcomes.

² Growth Stalwarts: Growth is less rapid but more predictble.

³ Special Situations: Performance has not been good but there is a reason to believe improvements are underway.

⁴ Cyclical Growth: Earnings do not rise every year but are expected to be higher from one cycle to the next.

The total column of this statement is the profit and loss account of the Company. The supplementary revenue and capital columns are prepared under guidance published by the Association of Investment Companies.

All revenue and capital items in this statement derive from continuing operations. 

A Statement of Comprehensive Income is not required as all gains and losses of the Company have been reflected in the above statement.

*See Glossary of Terms and Alternative Performance Measures at the end of this announcement.

For the six months ended 28 February 2022

For the six months ended 28 February 2021

*      The capital reserve balance as at 28 February 2022 includes investment holding gains on investments of £164,930,000 (28 February 2021 - gains of £344,842,000).

* Cash and cash equivalents represent cash at bank and short term money market deposits repayable on demand.

1.     Basis of Accounting

The condensed Financial Statements for the six months to 28 February 2022 comprise the statements set out on the previous pages together with the related notes below. They have been prepared in accordance with FRS 104 'Interim Financial Reporting' and the AIC's Statement of Recommended Practice issued in November 2014 and updated in October 2019 and April 2021 with consequential amendments. They have not been audited or reviewed by the Auditor pursuant to the Auditing Practices Board Guidance on 'Review of Interim Financial Information'. The Financial Statements for the six months to 28 February 2022 have been prepared on the basis of the same accounting policies as set out in the Company's Annual Report and Financial Statements at 31 August 2021.

Going Concern

Having considered the Company's principal risks and uncertainties, as set out on the inside front cover, together with its current position, investment objective and policy, its assets and liabilities, and projected income and expenditure, together with the Company's dividend policy, it is the Directors' opinion that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Board has, in particular, considered the heightened market volatility due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic but does not believe the Company's going concern status is affected. The Company's assets, the majority of which are investments in quoted securities which are readily realisable, exceed its liabilities significantly. All borrowings require the prior approval of the Board. Gearing levels and compliance with borrowing covenants are reviewed by the Board on a regular basis. In accordance with the Company's Articles of Association, shareholders have the right to vote annually at the Annual General Meeting on whether to continue the Company. The next continuation vote will be in December 2022. The Directors have no reason to believe that the continuation resolution will not be passed at the Annual General Meeting. The Company has continued to comply with the investment trust status requirements of section 1158 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and the Investment Trust (Approved Company) (Tax) Regulations 2011. Accordingly, the Directors consider it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing these Financial Statements and confirm that they are not aware of any material uncertainties which may affect the Company's ability to continue to do so over a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of these Financial Statements.

2.     Financial Information

The financial information contained within this Interim Financial Report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in sections 434 to 436 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial information for the year ended 31 August 2021 has been extracted from the statutory accounts which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The Auditor's Report on those accounts was not qualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the Auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying its report and did not contain statements under sections 498(2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006.

3.     Investment Manager

Baillie Gifford & Co Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Baillie Gifford & Co, has been appointed by the Company as its Alternative Investment Fund Manager and Company Secretary. The investment management function has been delegated to Baillie Gifford & Co. The management agreement can be terminated on not less than 6 months' notice, or on shorter notice in certain circumstances. The annual management fee is 0.75% on the first £50 million of net assets, 0.65% on the next £200 million of net assets and 0.55% on the remaining net assets, calculated and payable quarterly.

4.     Dividends

No interim dividend has been declared.

5.     Net return per ordinary share

Net return per ordinary share is based on the above totals of revenue and capital and the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during each period. There are no dilutive or potentially dilutive shares in issue.

6.     Fair Value

The fair value hierarchy used to analyse the basis on which the fair values of financial instruments held at fair value through the profit or loss account are measured is described below. Fair value measurements are categorised on the basis of the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Level 1 - using unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments in an active market;

Level 2 - using inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1, that are directly or indirectly observable (based on market data); and

Level 3 - using inputs that are unobservable (for which market data is unavailable).

The fair value of listed investments is the last traded price which is equivalent to the bid price on Japanese markets.

The financial assets designated as valued at fair value through profit or loss are all categorised as Level 1 in the above hierarchy. None of the financial liabilities are designated at fair value through profit or loss in the Financial Statements.

All of the Company's investments fall into Level 1 for the periods reported.

7.     Bank Loans

Bank loans of £139.1 million (¥21.5 billion) have been drawn down under yen loan facilities which are repayable between August 2023 and November 2024 (31 August 2021 - £142.2 million (¥21.5 billion)).

8.     Share Capital

The Company has the authority to issue shares/sell treasury shares at a premium to net asset value as well as to buy back shares at a discount to net asset value.

During the period, no shares were issued (28 February 2021 - 815,000 shares (of which 556,716 came from treasury) were issued at a premium to net asset value raising net proceeds of £8,919,000). There were no shares held in treasury at 28 February 2022 (28 February 2021 - nil).

During the period to 28 February 2022, no ordinary shares were bought back into treasury (2021 - no shares were bought back). As at 28 February 2022 the Company has authority remaining to buy back 14,139,798 ordinary shares.

9.     Transaction Costs

Transaction costs incurred on the purchase and sale of the investments are added to the purchase cost or deducted from the sales proceeds, as appropriate. During the period, transaction costs on purchases amounted to £48,000 (28 February 2021 - £40,000) and transaction costs on sales amounted to £50,000 (28 February 2021 - £40,000).

10.  Related Party Transactions

There have been no transactions with related parties during the first six months of the current financial year that have materially affected the financial position or the performance of the Company during that period and there have been no changes in the related party transactions described in the last Annual Report and Financial Statements that could have had such an effect on the Company during that period.

11.  Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The principal risks facing the Company are financial risk, investment strategy risk, discount risk, regulatory risk, environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk, custody and depositary risk, smaller company risk, operational risk, leverage risk, political and associated economic risk, cyber security risk and emerging risks. An explanation of these risks and how they are managed is set out on pages 8 and 9 of the Company's Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year to 31 August 2021 and is available on the Company's website: japantrustplc.co.uk.

The principal risks and uncertainties have not changed since the date of the Annual Report. Further details on the Company's risks can be found on pages 14 and 15 of the Interim Financial Report.