EastGate CEO to Discuss Japan R&D Real Estate Strategy at Mingtiandi Tokyo Forum
EastGate Capital Management CEO Samuel Lim and EGW Asset Management’s Atsushi Higuchi will discuss Japan’s rental research property market at next week’s Mingtiandi Tokyo Forum. The session will cover the shift from owner-occupied labs to leased space, conversion of the Shinagawa Seaside West Tower
EastGate Capital Management CEO Samuel Lim and EGW Asset Management’s Atsushi Higuchi will explore Japan’s emerging market for rental research facilities at the Mingtiandi Tokyo Forum, to be held on Tuesday 10 November at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. The two executives jointly established and lead EastGate Group’s Japan R&D and life sciences real estate strategy.
The 10.30am spotlight interview will examine the investment thesis and specialist operating capabilities behind EastGate’s Japan R&D business. The discussion will focus on the shift from owner-occupied research facilities to leased space, with opportunities extending beyond life sciences to advanced manufacturing, automotive and semiconductor companies. The session will also explore how investors can meet demand in a market with limited institutional-quality rental stock.
Lim heads EastGate Group’s Singapore-based investment management arm, overseeing thematic strategies and institutional capital partnerships for the Tokyo-headquartered manager, which has more than JPY 750 billion (S$4.7 billion) in assets under management. He previously held senior roles at ARA Asset Management and Far East Organization. Higuchi, executive director for fund management at EGW, has helped secure more than US$1 billion in acquisitions, predominantly in R&D, life sciences and hospitality.
The interview will examine EastGate’s partnership with Warburg Pincus, which acquired Shinagawa Seaside West Tower in April 2025, its third transaction since the venture’s establishment in 2023. At the time, the platform managed more than US$300 million in assets and over 1 million sq ft (92,903 sq m) of gross floor area across Tokyo and Yokohama. The tower has since been converted into GRC Shinagawa Innovation Park, where works finished in March and space has been substantially leased. The Tokyo property has been repositioned for wet and dry laboratories, test kitchens and other specialist research uses.
Higuchi will address demand from large corporate occupiers, including foreign manufacturers and an expanding pool of domestic companies, and how location and technical specifications influence leasing. The pair will also discuss EastGate’s in-house conversion, property management and leasing teams, alongside the challenges of underwriting technical works and assessing exit liquidity in a nascent market. The session will consider opportunities across value-add projects and stabilised assets as participation by domestic and international institutions grows.
Now in its third edition, the full-day forum will also feature Ichigo chairman Scott Callon in a separate spotlight interview at 9.10am. Other speakers include Mitsui Fudosan Investment Advisors executive managing officer Takayuki Fukui, Alyssa Partners managing partner and CEO Chedli Boujellabia and Barings senior director James King, with sessions covering fund investment strategies, Japan’s living sectors and global opportunities for Japanese capital. Tickets to the event are still available.
