PUTRAJAYA: Japan’s infrastructure investment fund Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp for Transport and Urban Development (Join) is looking forward to investing more in Malaysia, after its maiden investment into the cold chain logistics business here.

Join’s future investments in Malaysia will centre on transportation, urban development and logistics, and will firstly require an invitation by Japanese companies, said its managing executive officer Noriyoshi Torigoe.

“If there are certain projects which Japanese companies are interested [in], then we can consider doing that,” said Torigoe yesterday, adding that airports, rails, and toll roads are among “eligible sectors” for Join to participate in.

Torigoe was speaking at a press conference after the signing ceremony between Tasco Bhd and Join for the latter’s RM125 million acquisition of a 30% stake in Tasco’s cold chain logistics unit, Tasco-Yusen Gold Cold Sdn Bhd (TYGC).

“We’d like to expand here. If the investment into TYGC [is] successful, then we can think about the next step,” he said, adding that Join hopes to see results in its investment into TYGC a year later.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. In his speech, Guan Eng hinted at prevalent interest of having Japan invest further in the healthcare sector, following Mitsui & Co Ltd’s entry into IHH Healthcare Bhd in November last year.

“Of course, we hope that perhaps Join can look at further investments in the healthcare sector, and I am sure [Japan] ambassador [Dr Makio Miyagawa] is working very hard to make this a reality,” said Guan Eng without elaborating.